Managing telework: risks, fears and rules

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to serve as a reminder that all work arrangements, including the present case of distributed work, have their costs and benefits. Design/methodology/approach -In addition to a literature review, the paper presents concrete recommendations and guidelines for practicing managers about how to avoid pitfalls in distributed work arrangements and how to manage teleworkers. Findings -The diffusion of telework has been a slower process than anticipated, among other reasons because the most vital businesses are largely concentrated in the biggest growth centres. Growth centres can offer a diverse range of both jobs and amenities that outweigh the quiet and safety of rural areas. Apart from geographical realities and regional policy issues, another factor that has decisively contributed to the slow diffusion of telework is the absence of an established contractual framework and "culture" of teleworking. Originality/value -Telework has the best prospects of success if from the outset all the people involved know what to expect and are prepared to deal with any problems and fears associated with the new work culture. It is also important that distributed work arrangements are designed in compliance with national labour legislation. To avoid potential risks, a part-time telework arrangement is advisable for most organizations.

Telework and health effects review

“…The advantages and disadvantages of telework, from the teleworker perspective, have been identified by several authors [14,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] and others have reviewed or listed them. [2,15,27,28] These are summarised in Table 2.…”

“…[12,13] The demanding nature of the tasks that can be performed through telework suggests that not everyone is suited to it. Empirical evidence profiles the successful teleworker as someone with the following personal characteristics: [14][15][16] • Self-motivation: skilled at setting routines and meeting deadlines.…”

Workplace flexibility and communication flows: a structurational view

“…The study focuses on two Finnish companies with policies that reflect Finnish customs by allowing some temporal flexibility, but with differing policies related to the use of telecommuting. Finnish organizations provide an interesting context, given their general supportiveness toward various forms of flexible work (Pyöriä, 2011), and well-established supportiveness toward work-family policies for both genders (Eräranta, 2015). Next, we offer a brief overview of ST outlining its value toward understanding organizational interactions and flexibility.…”

National Culture and Application of Telework in Europe

“…The most serious problem with teleworkers is social isolation from the team of co-workers as agreed by a number of authors (Cooper and Kurland, 2002;Vega, 2003;Gajerndran and Harrison, 2007;Golden et al, 2008;Pyöriä, 2011). Problem is vented by the American Psychological Association and coincides with the results of research in the recent ten years presented at conferences and published in a monograph.…”