A literature review on the factors influencing employees' preference towards telecommuting

Telecommuting is one of the possible solutions to several problems, especially traffic congestion, parking demand in large cities around the world. It is one of the transportation demand management measures to control increase in the travel demand by private vehicles during peak hours. It is apparent that the growth in the number of private vehicles in many Universities has been exerting tremendous pressure on the road infrastructure, parking supply and related traffic facilities. The increase in the number of private vehicle trips in International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) has made congestion during peak hours resulting in long queue of vehicles entering and leaving the campus, parking along the road side resulting in decrease in road capacity and increase in environmental damages. Physical extension of the road network to overcome the traffic problems is not always possible due to the limited availability of land space and other resources. Telecommuting is one of the potential measures to overcome the increasing number of private vehicles on-campus by allowing potential employees to telecommute especially at home. The possible adoption of telecommuting by potential employees is an area of concern before it can be considered for implementation. The purpose of this paper is to analyse literature on telecommuting aspects including factors contributing towards preference to telecommute

Master of Science

thesisDespite growing in numbers, telecommuting has received mixed reactions from organizations and scholars who have conducted research on this topic. The purpose of this study was to shed light on the understudied topic of assimilation in telecommuting environments, to see if existing understandings of assimilation are sufficiently rich to explain the complex phenomenon of telecommuting. Eighty-seven telecommuters and 215 nontelecommuters participated in an online survey, comprising descriptive demographic questions and items from the revised Organizational Assimilation Index. Noteworthy findings are: telecommuters are surprisingly more acculturated, negotiate their roles more and report higher familiarity with supervisors and recognition than nontelecommuters; male telecommuters are more acculturated than female nontelecommuters, and female telecommuters are more acculturated than both male and female nontelecommuters; various patterns and practices of communication influence acculturation, involvement, job competency and role negotiation positively in telecommuters; and finally, perceiving coworkers' benefits to be more attractive results in higher acculturation and familiarity with supervisors and recognition, but lower role negotiation, in telecommuters. Implications of these findings are discussed, along with limitations and recommendations for future research

From a Distance: a Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experience of Telecommuters Working Remotely in Virtual Teams

In this dissertation, the social and emotional experience of telecommuters working remotely in interdependent virtual teams is explored through their lived experiences. The problem this study addresses is a lack of understanding about the process by which individuals subjectively experience remote work in virtual teams. The research methodology for this study is phenomenological—drawing data from interviews of 10 participants. The participants for this study represented a variety of industries and organizations. They were telecommuters who worked remotely more than 80% of the time, had a minimum of one year’s experience, and collaborated with others to develop a shared work product. This study drew directly from the words and expressions of the participants through in-depth, semi-structured interviews that were transcribed and thematically coded through a process of phenomenological reduction, using an analytical framework based upon the Learning in Work Life Framework (Illeris, 2011) and the Being There for the Online Learner Model (Lehman & Conceição, 2010). The findings of this study contribute to the literature with five aspects of working remotely in virtual teams: 1. Telecommuters perceive time as an elastic, boundless aspect of how they work. 2. Telecommuters perceive increased effectiveness as a result of their work arrangements. 3. Individual initiative mediates the challenges of the social and emotional experience of telecommuting. 4. The social and emotional experience of telecommuting in virtual teams is impacted by the perception of others. 5. The emotional experience of presence is enhanced by informal interactions

An examination of telework and the physical impacts on community and regional development

In this research, the practice of teleworking and the related physical impacts on communities and regions is examined. Telework is a relatively new form of work that substitutes information technology for travel to a regular place of work. As a result, there are potentially significant physical impacts on spatial development patterns, land use relationships, transportation systems, and environmental quality. This study first addresses the larger context of the telework phenomenon by characterizing the macroeconomic shift to an Information Economy. The body of the research focuses on home-based telecommuting and telecenter-based telecommuting, which are the two most prevalent forms of telework. In the United States, the current number of teleworkers is estimated at 20 million people, and long-term projections forecast a steady rate of adoption. The major forces facilitating the adoption of telework are identified and discussed. The findings regarding the physical impacts indicate a reduction in the number of commute trips and miles traveled, which result in lower auto emissions and potential reductions in traffic congestion. The indirect effects of telecommuting are latent demand for travel and an increased potential for dispersed development patterns. Future impacts of telework will largely be dictated by the frequency of telework activity among the growing population teleworkers projected, and the interplay of existing development factors which have generally led to the decentralization of metropolitan areas

An empirical investigation of technology usage, virtual status, organizational justice, need for affiliation, organizational identification and their influence on work success

Advancements in information communication technology have led to a growth in the telecommuting work force and increased interest in telecommuting research. Antecedents of work success are re-examined. This study attempts to disclose the relationships among communication technology usage, need for affiliation, organizational justice, employee\u27s virtual status and organizational identification and how these factors affect work success. Four main questions drove this research: Do organizational justice and employee\u27s virtual status moderate the relationship between communication technology usage and organizational identification? ; Do organizational justice and employee\u27s virtual status moderate the relationship between need for affiliation and organizational identification? ; Do organizational identification, organizational justice, and employee\u27s virtual status help explain employee\u27s work success? ; and How does the communication technology usage portfolio of telecommuters differ from that of their non-telecommuting counterparts? Cross-sectional data were collected using an online survey. A total of 263 full-time employees affiliated with a variety of industries in the US provided responses to the questions included in the survey. Upon developing testable hypotheses, the results of employing hierarchical regression analysis reveal that (1) both communication technology usage and need for affiliation positively influence organizational identification; (2) employee\u27s virtual status moderates the two relationships between communication technology usage as well as need for affiliation and organizational identification; (3) organizational justice positively moderates the relationship between communication technology usage and organizational identification; and (4) both organizational identification and organizational justice positively influence work success. Applying multivariate statistical methods to the usage data of 22 communication technology devices led to the classification of the devices into four groups: office technology; mobile technology; new technology; and older technology. A comparison of usage between telecommuters and non-telecommuters reveal, among others, that (1) telecommuters use office technologies significantly less frequently than non-telecommuters; (2) telecommuters use mobile technologies significantly more frequently than non-telecommuters; and (3) telecommuters do not use new or older technologies any different from their non-telecommuting counterparts. Interpretation of research findings, contributions of the study to information systems theory and practice, its limitations, and directions for future research are highlighted

The overall potential of telecommuting

Commuting become not only a common feature in the urban landscape but also a potential problem for developed societies that translates into economic, social and environmental losses. This study is set to explore the potential of telecommuting as well as a model that connect sociodemographical, psychological, and operational variables to the intention to accept telecommuting offers via attitudes towards telecommuting. The empirical study started with interviews to inform a survey that was answered by 126 Lisbon commuters. Results show interviewees views on telecommuting consequences are in line with extant research and that attitudes towards telecommuting (productivity, and cost savings) are predictors or intention to accept telecommuting offers. Likewise, professional tenure and work-to-home stress foster a more favorable attitude related to productivity / QWL while displacement mode (active) and home-to-work stress foster a more favorable attitude related with cost savings. The study concludes that the potential is not negligible and that the process of implementing telecommuting as a HRM policy is doable on the basis of the attitudes identified.As deslocações tornaram-se não apenas uma caraterística na paisagem urbana mas também um problema potencial para as sociedades desenvolvidas e que se traduz em perdas económicas, social e ambientais. Este estudo pretende explorar o potencial do teletrabalho bem como um modelo explicativo que ligue variáveis sociodemográficas, psicológicas e operacionais à intenção de aceitar uma oferta de teletrabalho por intermédio das atitudes face a esta alternativa. O estudo empírico encetou com entrevistas para informar o questionário que foi respondido por 126 trabalhadores a viver em Lisboa. Os resultados mostram que os entrevistados têm uma visão do teletrabalho que está em linha com o que se conhece na literatura e que as atitudes face ao teletrabalho (produtividade/qualidade de vida no trabalho e redução de custos) são preditores da intenção de aceitação de ofertas de teletrabalho. Do mesmo modo, a antiguidade profissional e o stress sentido na viagem casa-trabalho promovem uma atitude mais favorável face ao teletrabalho (produtividade) enquanto que o modo de deslocação (ativo) e o stress trabalho-casa promovem uma atitude mais favorável relacionada com redução de custos. O estudo conclui que o potencial do teletrabalho não é despiciendo e que o processo de implementação do teletrabalho enquanto política de GRH é fazível com base nas atitudes identificadas

Exploring the experiences of the self-employed teleworkers in managing border between work and family towards a balanced life

Work-Family Balance is a concept where an individual is able to manage his or her work and at the same time accomplish family commitments. Even though work and family are from different domains but each of these domains will influence the other domain with either positive or negative effect. The issue of balancing these two domains has received a significant share of attention in published works. Nevertheless, these issues remain unsolved. Tele-working still does not provide a positive effect on family as well as life issues. There is evidence that this is caused by a strong resentment from the teleworkers themselves. However, there are very few studies that had been done, to indicate the effect is caused by any major resentment from the teleworkers. Due to these inconsistencies, there is a need for further investigation on the issue of balancing the domains of the teleworkers. The purpose of this study is to explore the experience encountered by the self-employed teleworkers and to look into the factors that influenced them in managing the boundary to balance work and family life. The characteristics of the boundaries were analyzed, in order to understand the nature of the interactions between work and home. These characteristics were then used to explain the extent in which individuals are able to control the boundary between work and family life in attaining a balance between these two domains. This study employs a qualitative methodology, using a single case study. Seventy six (76) self-employed teleworkers were selected as respondents. In this study, three data collection techniques were used: 1) face to face interviews; 2) online open ended survey; and 3) observations of online discussion forum. As for the data analysis, the interpretive technique was used. The findings that have emerged from this study showed that factors such as time- management, discipline, family support, motivation, and patience can influence the self- employed teleworkers in their attempt to balance their work and family life. This study has contributed to the body of knowledge by identifying the factors that are practiced by the self-employed teleworkers in managing the boundary to achieve the work-family balance. The findings have also shown that patience is a key factor for the teleworkers. Recommendations for further research include the conducting of a similar study but with a different set of potential employment. This is important to better understand the working arrangement, without incurring any family and personal problems, in balancing work and family life. This can further improve the quality of work-family life

The Perceived Influence of Mobile Telework on Aspects of Work Life and Family Life: An Exploratory Study

Telework is an emerging trend in the workplace today. According to recent estimates, almost nine million Americans work electronically from home and this number is expected to grow 10% to 20% per year for the next decade. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceived influence of mobile telework on aspects of work life and family life. A group of mobile teleworkers and an equivalent group of nonmobile workers were asked to respond to questions about their work life and family life (N=299). The data were analyzed from four perspectives: (a) comparison of mobile teleworker and nonmobile groups, (b) comparison of mobile teleworker subgroups, (c) perceptions of mobile teleworkers themselves, and (d) thematic content analysis of write-in comments. Results from all four data perspectives pointed to the positive influence of mobile telework on most aspects of work life. The exploratory data suggested that productivity/job effectiveness, morale/organizational commitment, and customer relationships were all perceived to have been positively influenced by mobile telework. This perceived positive influence was particularly pronounced for mobile teleworkers who had a dedicated home office with a door. In contrast, the data pointed to a neutral or negative perceived influence of mobile telework on company relationships, especially camaraderie. Exploratory data about the perceived influence of mobile telework on aspects of family life were also generally positive. However, the strength of this perceived influence was less than the influence reported on aspects of work. Though mobile teleworkers reported much greater flexibility in the timing and location of work, they did not report having an easier time balancing work life and family life. In write-in comments, some mobile teleworkers reported they were thriving because of the flexibility to balance their lives. Others reported they were struggling because flexibility blurred the boundaries between work life and family life. Overall, the perceived influence of mobile telework on home chores/child care, family relationships, and personal factors was somewhat positive, but generally weak. Parents with preschool-aged children reported a more positive influence on these aspects of family life. From this exploratory study it appears that, on the whole, mobile telework can positively influence aspects of both work life and family life. However, there are also potential pitfalls which must be dealt with if a mobile telework program is to be successful. Sound program design and training for employees and leaders are seen as essential and some suggestions are offered. The study of mobile telework is in its infancy, and additional research is needed to understand bow this new work form may influence aspects of the work/family interface

Testing the Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences of Data from the Employee Perceptions of Supervisor/Line Manager Coaching Behavior Measure Between Virtual and Traditional Employees from Generation X and Y

Currently, the workforce is comprised of multiple generations, of which Generation X and Y are the largest, working in a variety of arrangements. These include working from home, satellite centers, on the road, collaboration offices, and brick and mortar locations. As information and communication technology advances, more opportunities for individuals to supplement or change their working environments are available. Along with these different modes of work comes occasions and challenges for managers to demonstrate coaching behaviors toward employees who work alongside them on an on-going basis, and simultaneously to those who are removed from the face-to-face interactions and instead rely on technology for primary communication. Thus, managers in today’s organizations are tasked with coaching and developing both traditional and virtual employees. The purpose of this study was to test for measurement invariance and assess latent mean differences between groups of traditional and virtual employees with data from one of the most widely used managerial coaching instruments. Data was collected via MTurk in this cross-sectional, multi-survey design. Both groups were equated before measurement invariance testing and latent mean analysis by employing propensity score matching techniques. Once invariance was demonstrated, latent mean differences were assessed. Results indicated traditional employees perceived their managers exhibited more coaching behaviors than those perceived by virtual employees. However, the results were not statistically or practically significant. Findings from this study do provide support for the psychometric properties of the Employee Perceptions of Supervisor/Line Manager Coaching Behavior (Ellinger, Ellinger, & Keller, 2003) instrument. Implications to research and practice were discussed, including the importance of virtual managerial coaching to the virtual human resource development movement

Perceptions of job characteristics, job satisfaction and organisational commitment of e-tutors at a South African ODL university

The general aim of this research was to investigate whether a relationship exists between the perceptions of job characteristics, job satisfaction (JS) and organisational commitment (OC) of e-tutors in a virtual work environment in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) university in South Africa. Considering the nature of the virtual work environment and the Job Characteristics Model (JCM), the design of e-tutors’ jobs does not encompass some of the core dimensions. This creates certain distinctive issues in terms of how e-tutors work, relate and communicate with their supervisors and co-workers. This has the potential to negatively affect their levels of JS and OC and increase their intention to leave the organisation. Accordingly, a quantitative survey was conducted on a sample of 279 (n = 279) e-tutors serving contracts at an ODL institution in South Africa. An exploratory factor analysis in the absence of good fit revealed a three-factor model for job characteristics, a two-factor model for JS, and a three-factor model for OC. Moreover, a correlational analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between perceptions of job characteristics, JS, and OC. A bivariate-partial correlation revealed that the relationship between job characteristics and JS is stronger than the relationship between job characteristics and OC. Following these correlations, a regression analysis was done to test the influencing nature of job characteristics on JS and OC. Accordingly, the results revealed that 26% of the effect of JS on OC is mediated by job characteristics. Tests for statistically significant mean differences revealed no significant difference between male and female e-tutors, nor differences in terms of their job tenure. However, in terms of educational background, significant mean differences were found between e-tutors holding undergraduate degrees and those holding postgraduate degrees. In order to determine which colleges differ significantly, multiple comparison tests were done, but the results revealed no significant individual differences. These results are applicable to similar populations and may help to improve the work experiences of other virtual workers. In addition, it is envisioned that they may help to improve human resource management practices in virtual work environments.Human Resource ManagementM. Com. (Human Resource Management