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21 – 30 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 15 February 2023

Pilar Ficapal-Cusí, Joan Torrent-Sellens, Pedro Palos-Sanchez and Inés González-González

Due to the crisis originated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an important number of workers have been incorporating the telework modality. In this context, the distance from the…

Abstract

Purpose

Due to the crisis originated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an important number of workers have been incorporating the telework modality. In this context, the distance from the workplace generates new dilemmas for work performance. In the paper the authors study the role of some individual and social antecedents on telework outcomes. In particular, they empirically investigate the direct relationship between trust (TR) and telework performance (PER) and explore mediators of that relationship such as social isolation (SI) and fatigue (FA).

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model with three main hypotheses is proposed and tested using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The study sample, of an exploratory nature, consists of a dataset of 201 teleworkers working in Spanish companies.

Findings

The relevance of the proposed model is demonstrated and FA is found to be the factor that most affects (negatively) PER, followed by TR (positively) and SI (negatively). Beyond the direct effects, the results provide support for the role of SI and FA in mediating the relationship between TR and PER.

Originality/value

This paper discusses the PER dilemma and proposes and tests a background model that may be useful for future research. The results are of interest to human resource managers, consultants, academics and telework tool developers and managers. Practices are proposed to improve TR or to reduce feelings of SI or FA. The research provides a practical evaluation tool for telework implementation.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 45 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2022

Maribel Labrado Antolín, Óscar Rodríguez-Ruiz and José Fernández Menéndez

This article studies how experience and frequency of telework influence the acceptance and self-reported productivity of this mode of work in a context of pandemic-induced remote…

Abstract

Purpose

This article studies how experience and frequency of telework influence the acceptance and self-reported productivity of this mode of work in a context of pandemic-induced remote work.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a 2021 dataset of 542 professionals with previous or current experience in home-based telework. Two linear regression models are fitted using the willingness to telework and self-reported productivity as dependent variables.

Findings

The findings support the idea that previous telework specific experience and frequency of telework have a positive impact on the willingness to telework and self-reported productivity.

Originality/value

This paper questions the widely accepted idea according to which employees who telework occasionally experience the best outcomes. The authors have identified a “time after time” effect that shows the relevance of telework specific experience and frequency for the development of this mode of work.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 45 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 September 2020

Andrea Ollo-López, Salomé Goñi-Legaz and Amaya Erro-Garcés

This article aims to analyze individual-, organizational- and country-level factors that determine the use of home-based telework across Europe according to the technology…

3662

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to analyze individual-, organizational- and country-level factors that determine the use of home-based telework across Europe according to the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the technology–organization–environment model.

Design/methodology/approach

To examine the impact of individual-, organizational- and country-level factors on telework, multilevel models are estimated to prevent problems derived from biased standard errors when micro- and macro-level data are combined.

Findings

The main findings show that, according to the usefulness side of the TAM, employees with family responsibilities, those that live away from their work and highly qualified workers use more home-based telework. Additionally, and according to the ease of use side of the TAM, empowerment in firms facilitates home-based telework. At the country level, lower power distance, individualism and femininity, better telework regulations and technology developments are also facilitators of home-based telework.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited by the cross-sectional nature of the data. This prevents the estimation of causal effects. Additional research would benefit from the use of panel data and from a more detailed analysis of the effects of country dimensions.

Practical implications

From an applied perspective, politics related to cultural dimensions are suggested to stimulate home-based telework.

Originality/value

The research contributes to previous literature by: (1) considering a large sample to conduct an empirical analysis of the use of home-based telework across Europe, (2) including micro and macro factors, (3) providing a theoretical framework to explain home-based telework, (4) applying a rigorous definition of home-based telework and (5) focusing on employees who are able to adopt home-based telework.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 42 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2016

Margarita Mayo, Luis Gomez-Mejia, Shainaz Firfiray, Pascual Berrone and Veronica H Villena

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of top leaders beliefs in the importance of work-family balance as a key determinant in explaining the adoption of social…

2239

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of top leaders beliefs in the importance of work-family balance as a key determinant in explaining the adoption of social practices oriented toward internal stakeholders, focussing on home telework as one of these practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 2,388 top executive officers reported the senior leaders belief favoring work-family balance by completing a new scale developed for this purpose asking how much key decision makers were convinced of the value to employees of supportive family-friendly HR practices, modeled how to balance work and family life, and felt a personal commitment to implement family-friendly practices. They also reported the firm’s provision of telework and organizational characteristics such as industry, multinational status, and firm size.

Findings

Regression analyses revealed that firm’s provision of telework is more pervasive when its top leaders believe in the importance of work-family balance, even after controlling for firm context (industry, geographical dispersion, and size). More importantly, the authors also find that managerial beliefs augment the positive effect of instrumental factors on the provision of home telework.

Practical implications

For practitioners, the most important message is that, while contextual and organizational features are important in the choice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices for employees, the conviction of senior leaders is absolutely essential.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the leadership and CSR literature by suggesting that top leaders play a catalyst role in contexts where telework is instrumentally valued. If we conceive CSR for employees as not driven solely by utilitarian logic, it requires a different paradigm that includes leadership motives.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 37 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 July 2021

Masahiro Hosoda

This study aims to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected telework initiatives in Japanese companies and investigate the factors that affect telework based on the technology…

1345

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected telework initiatives in Japanese companies and investigate the factors that affect telework based on the technology, organization and environment (TOE) model, through the analysis of published documents.

Design/methodology/approach

Document analysis was adopted. Documents were collected from English news articles in the Nikkei Asian Review and Nikkei Asia which cover Japan's economy, industries and markets. The results of surveys by the Persol Research Institute and Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry were also provided to discuss factors promoting and hindering telework. Content analysis was adopted to analyse the documents.

Findings

COVID-19 had an unavoidable impact on the implementation of telework that the government had previously failed to instigate. Japanese listed companies tend to implement telework, whereas small- and medium-sized companies are struggling. The ratio of telework has been low even after the declaration of the state of emergency because there exist organizational, technological and environmental barriers to telework in Japan.

Originality/value

This study contributes to discussions on work style reform by focusing on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on telework. This research also gives new insight into operationalization of telework in organizations not only in Japan but also in other countries known for low rates of telework and inflexible work styles such as Korea.

Details

Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, vol. 21 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-0701

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 February 2010

Evan H. Offstein, Jason M. Morwick and Larry Koskinen

Teleworking is often indicated as a flexible working arrangement. This paper seeks to highlight that flexibility is just one positive characteristic of telework and to demonstrate…

3399

Abstract

Purpose

Teleworking is often indicated as a flexible working arrangement. This paper seeks to highlight that flexibility is just one positive characteristic of telework and to demonstrate both the strategic and practical implications of adopting telework. In addition, it aims to highlight best practices and specific activities that enable telework to achieve its full potential.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a series of interviews, personal experiences and observations encompassing a wide range of organizations to include profit and non‐profit/government across a variety of industry sectors that include retail, high technology, manufacturing and hospitality and service, the paper provides an overview on how to make telework work effectively and smoothly within profit and non‐profit organizations. Moreover, it confronts the leadership literature to examine how leadership – not technology – is the critical variable in telework success.

Findings

In the most successful cases of telework, organizations and individuals were seen to fuse technology and leadership to do work without the limitations of geography, time or physical presence. Thus, while many may embrace telecommuting or telework almost exclusively for its flexibility benefits, the most successful organizations and individuals welcomed telework, first and foremost, as a source of competitive advantage.

Originality/value

The paper departs from traditional management thought on two fronts. First, it is contended that the essence behind successful telework arrangements is more of a function of leadership than of technology. Second, and related to the previous point, the paper suggests that a creative, innovative and progressive leadership mentality is necessary in the design and implementation of telework programmes. As a result, many managers must be willing to depart from long‐held and conventional notions of leadership.

Details

Strategic HR Review, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1475-4398

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2002

David Wicks

Technological change has permitted organizations to design jobs in different ways and control work performed in remote locations. This article examines how telework can be used to…

3870

Abstract

Technological change has permitted organizations to design jobs in different ways and control work performed in remote locations. This article examines how telework can be used to provide benefits to organizations and their members. In it I present the findings of a study of a large Canadian financial services organization preparing to introduce telework into its sales and customer service operations. These findings highlight the role of expectancy in forming attitudes toward telework, most importantly: the extent to which face‐to‐face communication prevents important social needs from being satisfied and prevents workers from developing a sense of belonging and commitment to the organization; and the belief that telework will bring improved performance results by creating a work environment with fewer distractions and new, more objective performance measures based on output. This exploration of individuals’ willingness to telework is apt because it points to potential sources of resistance to the implementation of new technologies of production and control in the workplace.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 40 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 March 2022

Murtaza Haider and Amar Iqbal Anwar

This study investigates the determinants of teleworking before and during COVID-19 in Canada. It explores the extent of telework adoption across industrial sectors, as well as the…

1036

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the determinants of teleworking before and during COVID-19 in Canada. It explores the extent of telework adoption across industrial sectors, as well as the long-term impacts of large-scale adoption of teleworking on urban travel demand and the dwindling demand for commercial real estate in downtowns.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from a survey of business establishments, this study employs data visualization techniques to illustrate how telework adoption evolved during the early stages of the COVID-19 lockdown. The study also estimates Logit models to explore the determinants of telework before and during the pandemic using a subsample from the Canadian labor force survey.

Findings

The study found that telework adoption reached a peak in March and April of 2020 when almost 40% of the workers in Canada were teleworking. Only 12% of employees reported teleworking before the pandemic. The adoption of teleworking was far more pronounced amongst firms that use information and communication technologies (ICTs) extensively. Teleworking appears to be far more frequent among university-educated (knowledge economy) workers.

Practical implications

Knowledge economy and highly educated workers, who switched to teleworking during the pandemic at higher rates than workers with less education, are more frequently employed in offices located in the urban core or downtowns. The drastic decline in commuting to the urban core via public transit and record low occupancy levels in downtown office towers suggests that, even if telework prevailed at levels much lower than those observed during March and April of 2020, landlords holding large portfolios of commercial real estate must prepare to cope with the lower demand for commercial real estate. This is especially significant when commercial leases come up for renewal in the next few years. In addition, governments struggling to address traffic congestion by spending hundreds of billions of dollars on transport and transit infrastructure might want to promote teleworking as a means of reducing travel demands and costly infrastructure expenditures.

Social implications

Teleworking has partially eroded the boundaries between work and home by enabling millions to continue being productive while working from home. However, teleworking would require new norms and rules to maintain a work-life balance. This change requires workers and employers to cooperate.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that explores the extent of telework adoption during COVID-19 in Canada and the determinants of telework adoption, presenting both employee and firm-level perspectives using Canada-wide representative data.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 March 2011

Pasi Pyöriä

The purpose of this paper is to serve as a reminder that all work arrangements, including the present case of distributed work, have their costs and benefits.

8489

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to serve as a reminder that all work arrangements, including the present case of distributed work, have their costs and benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to a literature review, the paper presents concrete recommendations and guidelines for practicing managers about how to avoid pitfalls in distributed work arrangements and how to manage teleworkers.

Findings

The diffusion of telework has been a slower process than anticipated, among other reasons because the most vital businesses are largely concentrated in the biggest growth centres. Growth centres can offer a diverse range of both jobs and amenities that outweigh the quiet and safety of rural areas. Apart from geographical realities and regional policy issues, another factor that has decisively contributed to the slow diffusion of telework is the absence of an established contractual framework and “culture” of teleworking.

Originality/value

Telework has the best prospects of success if from the outset all the people involved know what to expect and are prepared to deal with any problems and fears associated with the new work culture. It is also important that distributed work arrangements are designed in compliance with national labour legislation. To avoid potential risks, a part‐time telework arrangement is advisable for most organizations.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 February 2008

Angel Martínez‐Sánchez, Manuela Pérez‐Pérez, María José Vela‐Jiménez and Pilar de‐Luis‐Carnicer

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the contribution of human resource (HR) commitment practices to firm performance through the adoption of workplace practices that require…

8701

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the contribution of human resource (HR) commitment practices to firm performance through the adoption of workplace practices that require the organisational climate created by HR commitment practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is a survey of 156 Spanish firms and statistical test of research hypotheses through structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results indicate that the extent that employees have access to HR commitment practices and HR social benefits is positively related to the intensity of telework adoption. Firm performance is positively associated to the intensity of telework adoption, functional flexibility and internal numerical flexibility, and negatively related to external numerical flexibility. HR commitment practices impact directly and indirectly on different measures of firm performance.

Research limitations/implications

Cross‐sectional, survey‐based data that cannot infer causality. Longitudinal and qualitative designs are needed to get a better understanding of the relationships. A follow‐up study of employees perception of several variables analysed in this study (e.g. access to HR commitment practices and employee benefits) could reveal possible contradictions between what policies managers claim there exist, and what policies employees perceive to exist.

Practical implications

The adoption of HR commitment practices can facilitate the organisational change required by the adoption of telework.

Originality/value

The findings provide evidence that HR commitment practices are indirectly related to firm performance through their effects on the use of flexibility practices like telework that require organisational climates containing high levels of trust.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

21 – 30 of over 1000