A review of telework research: findings, new directions, and lessons for the study of modern work

Abstract

Telework has inspired research in disciplines ranging from transportation and urban planning to ethics, law, sociology, and organizational studies. In our review of this literature, we seek answers to three questions: who participates in telework, why they do, and what happens when they do? Who teleworks remains elusive, but research suggests that male professionals and female clerical workers predominate. Notably, work-related factors like managers' willingness are most predictive of which employees will telework. Employees' motivations for tele-working are also unclear, as commonly perceived reasons such as commute reduction and family obligations do not appear instrumental. On the firms' side, managers' reluctance, forged by concerns about cost and control and bolstered by little perceived need, inhibits the creation of telework programmes. As for outcomes, little clear evidence exists that tele-work increases job satisfaction and productivity, as it is often asserted to do. We suggest three steps for future research may provide richer insights: consider group and organizational level impacts to understand who telework affects, reconsider why people telework, and emphasize theory-building and links to existing organizational theories. We conclude with lessons learned from the telework literature that may be relevant to research on new work forms and workplaces.

Towards a microeconomic framework for modelling the joint choice of activity–travel behaviour and ICT use

“…In this case some empirical results supported the claim that ICT enable effective (productive) tele-work through easier reconciliation with non-work duties and making efficient use of peak productivity periods, more focused task handling (no disruptions from co-workers) and higher job satisfaction, though at a risk of blurring of the boundaries between work and non-work life, social isolation and lack of interaction with peers, lesser control over the employee and lower opportunities for promotion (Hill et al, 1998;Butler et al, 2007;Golden, 2012). On the other hand, in an extensive review Bailey and Kurland (2002) found no strong support for the productivity gains from tele-work practices though these results varied between studies conducted in different contexts (Hill et al, 1998;Westfall, 2004;Neufeld and Fang, 2005;Butler et al, 2007). Additionally, a number of studies indicated that ICT lead to increase in workers' productivity also in traditional office setting through facilitation of multitasking or development of knowledge networks (Brynjolfsson and Hitt, 2003;Westfall, 2004;Aral et al, 2006;Grimes et al, 2012).…”

“…The picture emerging from the brief account of the existing discourses suggests complex pattern of interactions between the use of ICT and the joint activity-travel choices (for a more extensive review of empirical studies, see Salomon, 1986;Golob and Regan, 2001;Bailey and Kurland, 2002;Andreev et al, 2010). In all cases the evidence points out towards a conclusion that the choice between tele-activity and traditional physical-reality-based is usually not motivated purely by travel conditions, but may also be influenced by the quality of participation in the desired activities as well as possibility of making use of travel time, especially during longer journeys in productivity-enhancing surroundings.…”

“…This novel capability of remote participation which does not require travel relaxes the long-established spatiotemporal constraints formally defined by Hägerstrand in his concept of 'daily space-time prism' (Hägerstrand, 1970). Such activities, referred to as tele-activities, following the term telecommuting coined by John Nilles in 1970s, have received considerable attention from a number of researchers for almost 40 years, especially from the perspective of transport studies (Salomon, 1986;Bailey and Kurland, 2002;Mokhtarian et al, 2004;Andreev et al, 2010). Moreover, due to their spatio-temporal flexibility, tele-activities display also higher potential for being undertaken simultaneously with other activities, thus linking to the concept of multitasking (Lyons and Urry, 2005;Kenyon and Lyons, 2007;Pawlak et al, 2011).…”

A Systematic Approach to Terahertz-based Glucose Monitoring

“…Remote work scenarios are not new -it was the first oil crises in 1973 that helped telework and telecommuting to its triumph (Bailey & Kurland 2002;Nilles 1975). However, today's highly mobile and connected digital nomads have little in common with these early teleworkers, who completed work outside of the office in an isolated manner, supported by stationary computers, fixed telephones and fax machines (Makimoto & Manners 1997, Messenger & Gschwind 2016.…”

Workplace Flexibility across the Lifespan

“…While some options may be available but not valued by the employee (such as teleworking; Bailey & Kurland, 2002), it may also be organizational cultures that hinder or facilitate use of flexibility ).…”