Telework: conditions that have a positive and negative impact on the work-family conflict
Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administración
ISSN: 1012-8255
Article publication date: 7 November 2016
Abstract
Purpose
Various investigations have shed light on the positive and negative effects of telework on the work-family conflict. These effects might be related to the conditions under which telework is carried out. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of six variables related to telework conditions on the work-family conflict, and the number of additional hours worked beyond normal office hours.
Design/methodology/approach
Multiple linear regression models are calculated with data collected from a sample of 142 teleworkers in public institutions to evaluate the effect of the above variables.
Findings
Results reveal that factors which affect work-family conflict include the space used for working at home, the presence of persons at home while someone is teleworking, the number of days of telework, the time a person has been teleworking, and the extent of responsibility a worker has outside of the work environment.
Originality/value
There is a need for research to determine the ideal conditions and situations for teleworking. This study is specifically intended to strengthen some previous findings in this area, and to provide new evidence.
Propósito
Las investigaciones han mostrado efectos positivos y negativos del teletrabajo sobre el conflicto trabajo-familia. Estos efectos podrían estar relacionados con las condiciones en las que lleva a cabo el teletrabajo. Por ello, el presente estudio analiza la influencia de seis variables relacionadas con las condiciones del teletrabajo, sobre el conflicto trabajo-familia y la cantidad de horas laboradas adicionales a la jornada.
Metodología
Para evaluar el efecto de esas variables se procesan modelos de regresión lineal múltiple con los datos obtenidos en una muestra de 142 teletrabajadores de instituciones públicas.
Hallazgos
Los resultados revelan que el espacio utilizado para trabajar en el hogar, la presencia de personas en el hogar mientras se teletrabaja, la cantidad de días de teletrabajo, el tiempo que lleva un sujeto teletrabajando y el grado de responsabilidad que tiene el trabajador fuera del ámbito laboral, influyen sobre el conflicto trabajo-familia.
Originalidad/valor
Hacen falta investigaciones que revelen las condiciones y situaciones idóneas para teletrabajar. Esta investigación precisamente refuerza algunos hallazgos encontrados en esa línea y brinda nuevas evidencias.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported and funded by Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. The author wish to thank Andrea Acuña from Centro Internacional para el Desarrollo del Teletrabajo, Jorge Llubere from Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, Evelyn Quijano from The Judicial Branch, Marilyn Esquivel from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Breeding, Sonia Pérez from the Attorney General’s Office and Yuly Fernández from the National Power and Light Company, for their help to build the database with the participants of the research. This paper was recognized as one of the best papers from the CLADEA-2015 conference held in Viña del Mar (Chile).
Citation
Solís, M.S. (2016), "Telework: conditions that have a positive and negative impact on the work-family conflict", Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administración, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 435-449. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARLA-10-2015-0289
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
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