Is telework effective for organizations?

Abstract

PurposeTelework is an alternative work relationship with demonstrated positive benefits for individuals and society, yet it has not been implemented with enthusiasm by most organizations. This could be due to the lacking, consolidated evidence for management regarding whether or not telework is a good thing for the firm. The purpose of this paper is to integrate multidisciplinary literature that reports effects of telework on organizational outcomes with the aim of providing a clearer answer to the question: is telework effective for organizations?Design/methodology/approachMeta‐analytical methods were used, beginning with an interdisciplinary search for effect sizes in eight databases. Limited to scholarly journals and dissertations, results included 991 articles scanned for inclusion criteria. The independent variable is telework, measured as a dichotomous variable. Dependent variables are outcomes of interest to organizations: productivity, retention, turnover intention, commitment, and performance. In total, 22 studies were double coded and meta‐analyzed using Hunter and Schmidt's approach, followed by five exploratory moderator analyses: level of analysis, level of the employee, response rate, proportion of females, and country of the study. Significant results are discussed.FindingsReview and meta analysis of 32 correlations from empirical studies find that there is a small but positive relationship between telework and organizational outcomes. Telework is perceived to increase productivity, secure retention, strengthen organizational commitment, and to improve performance within the organization. In other words, it is indeed beneficial for organizations. All five hypotheses are supported. H1 (productivity), rc=0.23 (k=5, n=620), (95% CI=0.13−0.33). H2 (retention), r=0.10 (k=6, n=1652), (95% CI=0.04−0.16). H3 (commitment), r=0.11 (k=8, n=3144), (95% CI=0.03−0.18); moderator analysis shows sample age is significant (F(1,4)=4.715, p<0.05, R2=0.80). H4 (performance), r=0.16 (k=10, n=2522). H5 (organizational outcomes), r=0.17 (k=19, n=5502), (95% CI=0.1−0.20).Originality/valueTo the authors' knowledge, this is the first meta‐analysis of telework research at the organizational level, providing a unique contribution to the field in filling the gap between research on effects to the individual and society. Additional contributions resulted from the moderator analyses: first, in finding that the relationship between telework and performance is moderated by whether or not the sample was one individual per firm, or many individuals from one; and second, in finding that the relationship between telework and organizational commitment is moderated by age. Thus, the paper provides unique contributions with both scholarly and practical implications.

Relationship Bonds and Service Provider’s Emotional Labor: Moderating Effects of Collectivism

“…Structural bond is a positive factor toward P-O fit. The system of service providers flexibly adjusting one’s own work schedule assists the balance between work and life and immerses workers into jobs (Martin and MacDonnell, 2012). Since corporate efforts to form structural bonds plays the role of resources in service providers doing work, the efforts not only appear as performance by being connected to work efficiency improvement but also reduces the expenses arising from stress (Zablah et al, 2012).…”

Asociación entre posturas administrativas de directivos y su disposición hacia la adopción del teletrabajo

“…Dado que la toma de decisiones en las organizaciones puede estar afectada por el miedo que se desprende del desconocimiento y la incertidumbre, la percepción gerencial se convierte en un aspecto determinante, por lo que se hace necesario tener evidencia de que estas nuevas formas de trabajar como el trabajo remoto son realmente más efectivas para las organizaciones que las estrategias tradicionales (Harker et al, 2012). A este respecto, Peters y Batenburg (2015) acotan que las tácticas de gestión orientadas a resultados pueden ser alineadas de forma más natural a la acogida de una política formal de teletrabajo, además de ser una de las posibles acciones emprendidas por la organización para mitigar las consecuencias negativas del trabajo remoto.…”

“…Se realizaron visitas personales a los directivos para la aplicación de los instrumentos, obteniéndose un total de 252 respuestas, lo que equivale a una tasa de respuestas efectiva de 93.3%. En la medición de fiabilidad se recurre al alfa de Cronbach, obteniéndose para estos datos un valor de 0.716, el cual es considerado un indicador aceptable de fiabilidad (Harker et al, 2012).…”

“…También se ha encontrado un incremento en la satisfacción de los empleados y un mayor compromiso con la organización (Coenen y Kok, 2014;Golden, 2012). Crecientemente se ha evidenciado una presión social hacia las organizaciones para que sean más "verdes", por lo que los resultados de las empresas que acogen el trabajo remoto podrían redundar en la obtención de bonos adicionales en su imagen corporativa (Harker et al, 2012). Adicionalmente ofrece una alternativa para cuando se presentan circunstancias o eventos inesperados, tales como huelgas de transporte, condiciones severas de tiempo, desastres naturales o epidemias etc.…”

Information and communication technology applications and their role in providing telecommuting job opportunities: A practical study on the private sector in Riyadh southern provinces

“…These modern technological applications enable different organizations to increase productivity, and to reduce costs and time while performing such tasks. At the same time, mastering these applications represents telework opportunities for individuals who, due to certain social factors, were prevented from pursuing work and increasing their financial income in accordance with their social conditions (Basile and Beauregard, 2016;Raja et al, 2013;Martin and MacDonnell, 2012).…”