Forced flexibility and remote working: opportunities and challenges in the new normal

Franken, Esmé; Bentley, Tim; Shafaei, Azadeh; Farr‐Wharton, Ben; Onnis, Leigh-ann; Omari, Maryam

doi:10.1017/jmo.2021.40

Cited by 82 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…In fact, SMEs are more vulnerable because they tend to have a lower capital reserve, fewer assets and lower productivity levels than larger firms (OECD, 2020). At the same time, they explore new opportunities because of their size and flexibility and develop emergent strategies for sustainable business operations (Franken et al , 2021).…”

Section: Addressing the Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

Remote working in Italian SMEs during COVID-19. Learning challenges of a new work organization

Barabaschi

Barbieri

Cantoni

et al. 2022

JWL

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze how remote working has been carried out during the first wave of the pandemic in Italian SMEs, representing at the same time an organizational challenge and an excellent opportunity for individual and organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach This paper involved 60 Italian SMEs of various sectors and 330 employees: 217 clerks (average age 42) and 113 managers (average age 48) belonging to different functional units and with a different education backgrounds. Two different questionnaires, one addressed to clerks and one to managers/executives who coordinate the remote working activity, were prepared and sent. This paper investigates the issues of perceived productivity, technological preparation, coordination, programming and control with specific attention to how the participants faced the remote working experience from the learning point of view. Findings Before the pandemic, Italian SMEs did not feel the necessity to adopt a structured policy on remote working. The COVID-19 emergency has forced them to consider that working remotely is possible and can produce benefits and positive results for what they learned in terms of autonomy, motivation and trust, to the detriment of physical presence, which is not as fundamental to ensure productivity. Originality/value While large, formalized and structured companies encountered modest difficulties being already technologically and culturally prepared for remote working, the big challenge was that of SMEs, who found themselves obliged to adopt it. This paper examines how Italian SMEs lived and evaluated the switch to a new work organization and turned it into an occasion for workplace learning.

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Section: Addressing the Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

Remote working in Italian SMEs during COVID-19. Learning challenges of a new work organization

Barabaschi

Barbieri

Cantoni

et al. 2022

JWL

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show abstract

“…However, to better understand the lack of a longitudinal association between workload and exhaustion for in-person workers, it is necessary to consider the context in which the study occurred, characterized by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, from a COR perspective, the COVID-19 outbreak resulted in considerable resource loss for individuals, in terms of economic (e.g., temporary loss of income), social (e.g., loss in relationships with family and friends), leisure (e.g., loss of opportunity to travel), psychological (e.g., loss on control over one's future) and health-related (e.g., loss in physical and mental health) resources [110,111]. Compared to remote working, office working is associated with a pool of relevant resources (i.e., resource caravan) [109], such as social interactions and rewards, opportunities for professional development and clear boundaries between work and home, which can facilitate physical and psychological detachment from work [109].…”

Section: Theoretical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Out of Sight, Out of Mind? A Longitudinal Investigation of Smart Working and Burnout in the Context of the Job Demands–Resources Model during the COVID-19 Pandemic

et al. 2022

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The academic interest in smart working, a form of flexible work characterized by the use of technology to conduct one’s work, has dramatically increased over recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, in this study we investigate whether smart working affects the longitudinal association between perceived work characteristics, such as workload and social support (SS), and workers’ health and well-being, in terms of exhaustion. Overall, 185 workers completed a self-report questionnaire at two time points (four-month time-lag) during the COVID-19 outbreak. The results from moderated multiple regression analysis partially support our predictions. The longitudinal association between workload and exhaustion was positive—although marginally significant—for smart workers, but nonsignificant for in-person workers. Contrarily, the longitudinal association between SS and exhaustion was negative for in-person workers, but nonsignificant for smart workers. Overall, this study suggests that, to support employees’ health and productivity, work characteristics—both physical and psychosocial—should fit the new way of working as well as remote workers’ specific needs and expectations. Hence, to promote sustainable work, interventions should be aimed at helping smart workers to manage their workload effectively, as well as reducing professional and social isolation.

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“…With the increasing adoption of digital communication (e-mails, work-process systems, online meetings, etc. ), it is strongly recommended to not forget the advantages that face-to-face dialogue can bring (Franken et al , 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Internal market orientation, interdepartmental relationships and market performance: the pivotal role of employee satisfaction

Barnes

2022

EJM

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Purpose This study aims to signal the relevance of internal market orientation (IMO) as an organizational process for improving interdepartmental relationships and employee satisfaction, which, in turn, serves to leverage performance. The study has three main objectives: to consider the adaptation of IMO at the departmental level, whereby internal departments are identified as internal customers; gauging the impact of IMO on interdepartmental relationships, employee satisfaction and organizational performance; and testing the mediating role of employee satisfaction in linking interdepartmental relationships, i.e. connectedness and conflict with organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach The study observes the proposed relationships by drawing on a sample of 816 managers from 272 companies. Through accessing three respondents in each organization and asking them to focus on different constructs, the study’s methodology avoids common methods bias. Partial least square was used to test the hypotheses posited in the concept. Findings The findings confirm that IMO at the departmental level is critical for facilitating interdepartmental relationships within the organization. In particular, high levels of IMO can enhance interdepartmental connectedness, reduce interdepartmental conflict and improve employee satisfaction. Employee satisfaction not only influences firm performance directly but also plays a mediating role in linking interdepartmental relationships, i.e. connectedness and conflict with performance. Research limitations/implications While this study is conducted in the Chinese context, future research may consider testing the framework in different sectors and geographical areas. In addition, more objective measures of firm performance could be used in future studies, and other mediating and moderating variables may be added to further advance the understanding of the subject at large. Practical implications The identification of IMO at the departmental level can help firms collect ideas from staff across different departments, facilitate open and constructive communication and react promptly to other departments. Through a social information processing lens, this leads to the creation of a positive organizational atmosphere, contributing significantly to enhancing employee satisfaction and firm performance. Originality/value The findings of the study contribute to the area by supporting the legitimacy of IMO at the departmental level and its positive impact on internal relationships and employee satisfaction, which, in turn, leverages performance advantages for the firm.

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Forced flexibility and remote working: opportunities and challenges in the new normal

Cited by 82 publications

References 56 publications

Remote working in Italian SMEs during COVID-19. Learning challenges of a new work organization

Remote working in Italian SMEs during COVID-19. Learning challenges of a new work organization

Out of Sight, Out of Mind? A Longitudinal Investigation of Smart Working and Burnout in the Context of the Job Demands–Resources Model during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Internal market orientation, interdepartmental relationships and market performance: the pivotal role of employee satisfaction

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