Preparing the ground for smart working in the public sector: insights from an empirical analysis on municipalities

Smart working is a timely solution to enable public services' continuity and it is increasingly embedded within work arrangements in the public sector. However, little is known about the public servants' willingness to embrace smart working arrangements. The article examines the relationship between digital readiness and smart working acceptance of municipal public servants. Digital readiness boosted public servants' acceptance of smart working. Role clarity negatively mediated this relationship, whilst an organizational culture based on transparency moderated the link between digital readiness and smart working. A concern for role clarity should be embraced in designing smart working arrangements, enhancing work meaningfulness.