Şenay Çaylan
The expansion of remote work in the post-pandemic period has intensified psychological challenges such as digital fatigue and burnout, especially among UX/UI designers whose work depends on sustained creativity, continuous screen exposure, and intensive digital collaboration. Grounded in Organizational Support Theory (OST), this study examines how perceived organizational support can help mitigate these challenges in remote creative work settings. A qualitative design was employed, based on semi-structured interviews with 15 remote UX/UI designers in Türkiye. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis, supported by sentiment analysis to better capture the emotional tone of participants’ experiences. The findings show that digital fatigue is primarily driven by prolonged screen time, frequent tool-switching, and back-to-back virtual meetings, while burnout is linked to unrealistic deadlines, blurred work–life boundaries and reduced creative autonomy. Participants emphasized that role-specific organizational support mechanisms such as mental health support, flexible or hybrid work arrangements, and digital detox practices—play an important role in reducing psychological strain and sustaining well-being. Practices such as no-meeting days and protected offline periods were identified as particularly helpful. By extending Organizational Support Theory to the context of remote UX/UI work, this study contributes to the literature on employee well-being by offering role-specific and context-sensitive insights. It also provides practical guidance for organizations seeking to design more supportive and sustainable remote work environments for creative professionals.