Telecommuting: An Overview of Emerging Macroergonomics Issues

Abstract

Advances in information technology are allowing selective employees to work “anywhere” and at “anytime.” The work location for some employees is changing from the traditional corporate office to a virtual work location, such as the home, hotel, airport, shared and satellite office, client office and the car. This trend toward “alternative work styles” and the distributed workforce is likely to continue. As these work styles and virtual workplaces continue to emerge, understanding and designing effective work systems using a macroergonomics perspective is essential to achieve the benefits of distributed work and telecommuting. In this paper, we will provide an overview of the major macroergonomics issues associated with telecommuting. First, we present the literature databases used for this paper, a macroergonomics perspective and model. Next, examples of telecommuting programs, including the organizational structure, implementation process and evaluation strategy are given. A review of the existing empirical research concerning telecommuting and its implications are also discussed. Further, a macroergonomics process for managing the health and safety of telecommuters is described. In summary, a discussion of future telecommuting research and program development using a macroergonomics, work system design approach, is given.

Multidimensional Aspects of Slips and Falls

“…To conceptualize macroergonomic issues as related to slips and falls, a process can be described using three levels of a work system: organizational, group, and individual. Within each of these levels, the sociotechnical elements (technological and personnel subsystems) and physical work environment factors can be related to potential outcomes that could be used to measure the success of a safety and health process including the falls prevention program (Robertson, Maynard, Huang, & McDevitt, 2002).…”

“…The worker is in the middle of this process. Communication between the worker and all other parties is essential for promoting safe behavior on the job and enabling return to work after an injury occurs (Robertson et al, 2002).…”

Employee well-being in the COVID-19 pandemic: The moderating role of teleworking during the first lockdown in the province of Quebec, Canada

“…Kurland and Bailey identified four types of telework: home-based telecommuting, satellite offices, neighborhood work centers, and mobile working [5]. Robertson et al referred to a virtual work location (e.g., home) [6]. According to Tremblay et al, studies distinguish between various forms of telework (e.g., work done in clients' offices, work in business centers or satellite offices) of which working from home with ICTs is one form [7].…”