Telework

Abstract

This chapter reviews current research on telework. We first examine the literature on telework and job performance, job attitudes, and professional isolation, before reviewing the outcomes of telework on employee well-being as characterized by stress and work-life balance. We then turn our attention to factors that contribute to a successful telework experience: characteristics of the job, characteristics of the employee, and characteristics of the employee's manager(s). We also identify the key role of technology support in influencing many of the established outcomes of and contributors to telework. Finally, we discuss the gaps in our knowledge of telework's repercussions for employees and organizations. We conclude by identifying the implications of what we do know for theory and practice. To maximize positive outcomes, we recommend evidence-based guidelines for organizations with regard to 1) selecting and preparing employees for telework, and 2) managing their use of this flexible work practice.Flexible work practices refer to mutual arrangements made between employers and employees that vary the hours and location of work, often with the dual aim of improving employees' work-life balance and meeting the organization's needs (Thompson, Payne & Taylor, 2015). Telework is one such arrangement, which involves working away from the office for a portion of the work week while keeping in contact via information and communications technology (ICT) (Allen, Golden & Shockley, 2015). It can be used simultaneously with other flexible work arrangements, such as flexible hours and part-time work. Telework is usually conducted from a location of the employee's choosing (e.g., home) and can thus be differentiated from remote work, which more often takes place at different business units or while travelling for business purposes.One acknowledged difficulty in drawing any firm conclusions about the impact of telework is that studies of this work arrangement appear in numerous disciplinary literatures: management, human resource management, industrial relations, psychology, family studies, sociology, information systems, logistics, and operations, for example. For the purposes of this chapter, which is attempting to identify individual-level factors that facilitate or hinder the telework experience, we will be drawing upon each of these literatures but focusing primarily upon those relevant to interpersonal processes rather than organization-level systems. Outcomes of TeleworkOutcomes of telework manifest themselves in a number of different ways. We will first examine work-related outcomes in the form of job performance, job attitudes, and professional isolation. Following this, we will review the effects of telework on well-being, in the form of stress and work-life balance. 19.

Remote communication amid the coronavirus pandemic: Optimizing interpersonal dynamics and team performance

“…First, it is important to select the appropriate communication media (e.g., video, phone, email, instant messaging) based on task type (Beauregard et al, 2019). For simple tasks and when faster responses are necessary, instant messaging (e.g., Slack, Skype chat) can reduce interruptions and thereby increase productivity, as it allows users to engage in brief but frequent interactions (Garrett & Danziger, 2007).…”

Teletrabajo en tiempos de COVID-19

“…En cualquier caso, autores como Crawford et al (2011) han identificado como principal característica que estas modalidades tienen en común, la existencia de un contacto físico, cara a cara, inferior a las cuatro horas semanales con colegas o con jefes. De acuerdo con Beauregard et al (2019), una de las razones principales por la que las personas optan por esta modalidad de trabajo ha sido la búsqueda de un equilibrio entre la vida laboral y la vida familiar. Tal es el caso, que estudios realizados por Beauregard et al (2019) identificaron menores conflictos entre el trabajo y el hogar y, consecuentemente, una mayor sensación de bienestar mental.…”

“…De acuerdo con Beauregard et al (2019), una de las razones principales por la que las personas optan por esta modalidad de trabajo ha sido la búsqueda de un equilibrio entre la vida laboral y la vida familiar. Tal es el caso, que estudios realizados por Beauregard et al (2019) identificaron menores conflictos entre el trabajo y el hogar y, consecuentemente, una mayor sensación de bienestar mental.…”

What we can learn from birdsong: Mainstreaming teleworking in a post-pandemic world

“…Similarly, productivity, social cohesion and work-life balance have been the aspects often affected by the pandemic. There is a learning curve related to teleworking, however, and we can expect improved productivity in the post-pandemic world and once workers and managers adjust to the new arrangements, for example by developing more effective communication channels and home-office arrangements ( Beauregard et al., 2019 ; Gajendran and Harrison, 2007 ).…”

“…Still, in many other professions there are significant differences between the countries, including the Global North-South divide, in terms of availability and capacity of the telecommunication infrastructure necessarily to support teleworking ( Brussevich et al., 2020 ). Any decision to adopt teleworking will clearly depend on the nature of the work and will only be available for jobs that can be performed away from the office ( Beauregard et al., 2019 ). However, even if teleworking will remain beyond the reach of many professions, offering it as an option for some city dwellers brings broader social benefits for all residents.…”