## 1 Introduction  
The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated significant changes across the global economic, social, and cultural landscapes, with profound implications for work environments. In Europe, for instance, the share of remote workers surged from 5.4% in 2019 to 14% in [1]. Similarly, in the United States, the proportion of employees working from home five days a week increased from 17% to 44% [2]. In particular, Gallup's 2023 survey showed that more than half of American workers continued to work remotely over the past three years [3, 4], and foresaw hybrid work models--combining traditional workplace and working remotely--as the emerging standard. This evidence underscores that the pandemic'simpact on work practices is structural and enduring rather than merely a temporary adjustment. This rapid transition from traditional, office-centered work models to remote and hybrid models has not only altered organizational operations but also fundamentally transformed how employees perform their tasks. Concurrent with these changes, the acceleration of digital transformation triggered by the pandemic has brought about significant shifts in the nature of work. Digital transformation goes beyond merely altering work formats; it has redefined job characteristics in ways that influence both job satisfaction and organizational commitment [5]. Furthermore, the accelerated digital transformation has led to an increased importance of the ICT sector, as evidenced by the growth in ICT capital investment in OECD countries. This investment increased from an annual growth rate of 0.5% between 2010 and 2019 to 1.8% between 2019 and 2020 [6]. The digital sector, encompassing ICT, experienced a downturn due to global value chain disruptions. However, the demand for digital infrastructure has exhibited a substantial surge, driven by the proliferation of remote work and non-face-to-face services [7]. In Korea, the ICT industry's non-face-to-face and non-contact technology-related sectors have rapidly expanded [8]. A recent study examined the role of ICT in the economic resilience of countries during the pandemic, finding that countries with a high ICT intensity showed lower output losses in terms of cyclical GDP [8]. As the ICT sector's importance continues to grow, it is being integrated into various industrial sectors through rapid technological development and innovation. Consequently, the working environment and job satisfaction in these industries are becoming increasingly significant. Given the nature of the ICT industry, which demands technology-oriented work and adaptation to rapid change, the psychological stability and job satisfaction of employees are identified as critical factors directly associated with the competitiveness and sustainability of the company. This study aims to analyze the impact of COVID-19-induced changes in work environments on the job satisfaction of employees within the ICT sector. Job satisfaction, which reflects individuals' positive or negative attitudes toward their jobs, has long been regarded as an important factor influencing not only personal well-being but also corporate growth, economic development, and productivity [9]. The majority of extant empirical studies on job satisfaction have relied on survey data [10; 11]. However, survey-based approaches may have the following limitations. First, respondents may not always express their opinions candidly, which introduces a degree of bias [12]. Second, these approaches are limited to collecting information on predefined topics, which can limit the depth and breadth of the insights gathered [13]. Finally, survey research often suffers from insufficient sample sizes, which can compromise the reliability and generalizability of the results [14].