Telework and gender: implications for the management of information technology professionals

Abstract

Attracting and retaining highly skilled information technology (IT) professionals has been a difficult task for IT managers since the early 1980s. With over 400,000 unfilled IT positions in the USA today, many IT professionals are moving from job to job looking for higher salaries and more satisfying working arrangements. Since men and women often perceive their professional and domestic roles and responsibilities differently, more flexible working arrangements, which permit them to accomplish these roles and responsibilities in a more satisfactory manner, can be an important motivation for accepting and remaining in a given IT position. The purpose of this study was to investigate the similarities and differences between men and women in the IT industry in terms of their motivations to telecommute, and to discuss the implications for managing IT professionals.

Advancement, voluntary turnover and women in IT: A cognitive study of work–family conflict

“…(a) Gender differences in the use of technology, such as the perception and frequency of email use [26]; technology adoption and usage intentions [73]; the impact of Internet usage on the salary gap [28]; and motivation to telecommute [11]. (b) Career orientations and voluntary turnover intentions [37] and strategies employed by successful female IT professionals [58].…”

Teleworking practice in small and medium-sized firms: management style and worker autonomy

“…More recently, Bentley and Yoong (2000) and Pyöriä (2003) have examined telework as 'knowledge work'. A gender perspective on the subject has been taken by Beasley et al (2001) and Gurstein (2001) while Baines and Gelder (2003) have focused on the family issues when examining telework. Increasingly a work/life balance discourse is being put forward in relation to telework (see for example, Baines, 2002;Cullen et al, 2003;Demerouti et al, 2004).…”

Assessment of female telework scope in the conditions of digital economy

“…The first telework jobs were created mainly in the spheres connected with computer equipment and communications. American researchers argue that the shortage of highly qualified IT specialists in the 90ies was one of the reasons why telework became popular [6]. Granting an opportunity to telework allowed to attract such employees and ease the problem of staff shortage.…”