Abstract
The shift to virtual and hybrid work has transformed how employees experience and sustain engagement, as both modes balance proximity and isolation while generating distinct relational dynamics that shape connections with teams and organizations. By directly contrasting these modes among managerial employees, this study addresses a critical research gap, as prior scholarship has largely examined virtual and hybrid work in silos, limiting understanding of their comparative relational and identity-based mechanisms. This gap is increasingly important as organizations operate across both modalities and require clarity on how engagement is maintained under varied conditions of proximity and co-presence. Drawing on Social Identity Theory, the study proposes and tests a serial mediation relational-identity pathway linking perceived proximity, workplace isolation, social identity, and engagement across work modes. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 472 full-time managerial employees in India working either fully virtually or in hybrid settings, employing pre-validated scales and PROCESS Model 6 with 5,000 bootstraps to estimate direct and indirect effects. To validate the robustness of the findings, qualitative insights were gathered through industry experts, involving 21 Senior HR Managers. Findings show strong modality-based contrasts. The results and implications are discussed. The study enhances theory and guides engagement practices.