Remote worker communication during COVID-19: The role of quantity, quality, and supervisor expectation-setting.

Abstract

Given the huge increase in remote work that has accompanied the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, understanding predictors of performance and wellbeing among remote workers has never been more timely. Effective communication is commonly cited as key to remote worker success, yet communication variables are rarely incorporated into remote work research. In the present study, we examined the relationship between communication frequency, communication quality, and supervisorset communication expectations with daily job performance and burnout in an occupationally-diverse sample of employees. We used an experience sampling design and our hypotheses were tested with data collected over a 4-week period with a sample of 471 employees who shifted to full-time remote work due to COVID-19. Results indicated that daily communication quality was associated with daily performance and burnout. In addition, the extent to which supervisors established expectations about communication practices (e.g., expected response times to email) at the onset of the transition to remote work was positively associated with performance, but not burnout. Task interdependence was also tested as a moderator. Task interdependence moderated the relationship between communication quality and performance, such that the relationship was stronger when task interdependence was higher than when it was lower. Task interdependence also moderated the relationship between supervisor-set expectations and performance such that the relationship was stronger when task interdependence was lower than when it was higher. Expected curvilinear relationships between communication frequency and outcomes were not detected. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for practice and future research.

The Depleting and Buffering Effects of Telecommuting on Wellbeing: Evidence From China During COVID-19

“…However, less attention has been paid to family factors. As mentioned by Shockley et al (2021) , forced remote workers were confronted with the immediate and ongoing need to simultaneously fulfill both work and family roles. Therefore, on the basis of COR theory, we contribute to broadening the understanding of how the depleting effects of telecommuting on wellbeing can be relieved by family through showing the moderating effects of family interfering with work and family–work enrichment.…”

“…Interests in telecommuting, as a presumed concept, have dramatically increased in the recent years, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic ( Cooke et al, 2020 ; Malankowski and Wrycza, 2020 ; Zhang et al, 2021 ). Telecommuting models have deviated from the predictors of the performance and wellbeing of remote workers (e.g., Shockley et al, 2021 ). Our study aims to add to and not negate previous research.…”

“…In China, numerous employees were unexpectedly required to work from home, although they were not willing or were not given the opportunity to telecommute in the past ( Chong et al, 2020 ; Zhang et al, 2021 ). For such employees who were forced to work remotely, the boundaries between work and family became hazy ( Shockley et al, 2021 ). That is, they were considerably affected by family life through family interfering with work ( Duxbury et al, 1992 ; Carlson et al, 2000 ) and family–work enrichment ( Lin et al, 2020 ; Heskiau and McCarthy, 2021 ; Wu et al, 2021 ).…”

“…The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has remarkably increased remote work, whose implications for employees and organizations thus require thorough understanding ( Malankowski and Wrycza, 2020 ; Leroy et al, 2021 ; Shockley et al, 2021 ; Zhang et al, 2021 ). In China, over 300 million workers relatively experienced telecommuting in March 2020.…”

“…Meanwhile, the United States and Europe also experienced a multifold increase in remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Chong et al, 2020 ; Zhang et al, 2021 ). According to Allen et al (2015) , telecommuting refers to “ a work practice that involves members of an organization substituting a portion of their typical work hours (ranging from a few hours per week to nearly full-time) to work away from a central workplace—typically principally from home—using technology to interact with others as needed to conduct work tasks .” The core argument behind telecommuting is that the boundaries between work and home became blurred for many, and employees are confronted with the need to simultaneously fulfill both work and family roles ( Shockley et al, 2021 ).…”