Measuring the influence of perceived organizational support, organizational hierarchy culture, strategic human resource management, and psychological empowerment on the return to work.

The study used a cross-sectional design, so it cannot prove that these factors caused the return-to-work outcomes, only that they are associated. Data was self-reported, which may be influenced by social desirability or common-method bias. The findings are specific to the Saudi Arabian context, which has high power-distance and hierarchical norms, so they may not apply to other cultures. The study did not include potential moderating variables like trust in management or specific mental health status.

The authors declared no financial support was received for the research or publication of this article.

Do not assume that simply showing employees care or support will improve their return to work. The study found that perceived support had no direct effect; only formal strategic HR practices and structured workplace cultures were linked to better return outcomes.