Working from home: characteristics and outcomes of telework

• Pages: 87-101
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-07-2017-0172
• Published date: 01 April 2019
• Date: 01 April 2019
• Author: Audronė Nakrošienė,Ilona Bučiūnienė,Bernadeta Goštautaitė
• Subject Matter: Economics,Labour economics

Working from home:

characteristics and outcomes

of telework

AudronėNakrošienė, Ilona Bučiūnienėand Bernadeta Goštautaitė

ISM University of Management and Economics, Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between theoretically grounded

telework factors and various individual and organizational outcomes of telework (overall satisfaction with

telework, perceived advantages of telework, career opportunities and self-reported productivity).

Design/methodology/approach –Based on a literature review, ten telework factors that may affect

individual and organizational telework outcomes were identified and empirically tested using the survey data

of 128 teleworkers exercising different telework intensity and representing various sectors of the economy.

Findings –The bundle of theoretically selected variables explained a significant part of the variance of

telework outcomes. Reduced communication with co-workers, supervisor’s trust and support, suitability of

the working place at home were found to be the most important telework factors impacting different telework

outcomes. Higher self-reported productivity was related to reduced time incommunicating with co-workers, a

suitable working place at home and the possibility to take care of family members when teleworking.

Practical implications –This study provides insights about the management of telework in organizations

by highlighting the factors that promote the satisfaction, productivity and perceived career opportunities

of teleworkers.

Originality/value –This paper challenges the results of previous research on the factors related with

telework and its outcomes. Based on the job demands-resources theory, the authors identified the factors that

serve as resources in generating positive telework outcomes, and the factors increasing job demands and

reducing satisfaction with telework.

Keywords Telework, Satisfaction with telework

Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction

Information technology has become an integral part of the office environment, and the

physical location of a working place has been gradually losing its importance. According to

Gallup’s annual Work and Education poll, only 9 percent of US teleworkers worked from

home using a computer in 1995, but by 2015 this number had increased to 37 percent

(Gallup, 2015). The average number of teleworkers in the European Union (EU) Member

States is considerably lower, amounting to 17 percent in 2015 and ranges from 7 percent in

Italy to 37 percent in Denmark (Eurofound and the International Labour Office, 2017). In

Central and Eastern European countries, the corresponding telework figure is lower than

the EU average at 14 percent. The rate of teleworking in Lithuania is 13 percent, and this is

similar to the average of other post-Soviet countries. Despite the appropriate technological

development of information technologies in these countries, the telework adoption is slower

than expected due to organizational factors, such as lower trust of managers and people’s

needs to meet other people face-to-face (Eurofound, 2017; Vilhelmson and Thulin, 2016).

Telework is defined as work that is performed from different locations (such as home)

that enables workers to access to their labor activities by the use of information and

communication technologies (Nilles, 1997; Perez Perez et al., 2003). It has been considered as

an alternative way of organizing work. By offering the possibility to work anywhere and

anytime, telework has attracted the attention of both academics and practitioners. It has

been seen as a win-win scenario for employees and employers, making it possible to choose

from different talents, to reduce real estate costs, to motivate employees and to maintain

employee work-family balance (Madsen, 2003).

International Journal of Manpower

Vol. 40 No. 1, 2019

pp. 87-101

© Emerald PublishingLimited

0143-7720

DOI 10.1108/IJM-07-2017-0172

Received 17 July 2017

Revised 4 November 2017

Accepted 22 February 2018

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-7720.htm

87

Working from

home