Golden, Timothy

English

AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)

Association for Information SystemsAIS Electronic Library (AISeL)AMCIS 2002 Proceedings Americas Conference on Information Systems(AMCIS)December 2002TOWARD RECONCILING COMPETINGPERSPECTIVES ON TELEWORKTimothy GoldenRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteFollow this and additional works at: http://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2002This material is brought to you by the Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) at AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). It has been acceptedfor inclusion in AMCIS 2002 Proceedings by an authorized administrator of AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). For more information, please contactelibrary@aisnet.org.Recommended CitationGolden, Timothy, "TOWARD RECONCILING COMPETING PERSPECTIVES ON TELEWORK" (2002). AMCIS 2002Proceedings. 296.http://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2002/2962002  Eighth Americas Conference on Information Systems 2169TOWARD RECONCILING COMPETING PERSPECTIVESON TELEWORKTimothy GoldenRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteGoldent@rpi.eduAbstractWhile the popular press and practitioner journals provide considerable anecdotal evidence that telework andjob satisfaction are synonymous, the information richness and social presence literature suggest otherwise.Indeed, this literature suggests that extensive levels of teleworking may hamper the individuals ability tomaintain important work related relationships and result in decreased levels of satisfaction. Given thesecompeting views, this paper proposes a curvilinear relationship between extent of teleworking and jobsatisfaction.Keywords:  Telework, telecommute, technology-enabled interactionsToward a Deeper Understanding of TeleworkThe widespread adoption of telework programs continues to rise world-wide.  Although estimates vary, teleworkers comprisenearly 10% of the U.S. workforce (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1994) and this number is projected to grow nearly six-foldby 2030 (Wilkes, Frolick & Urwiler, 1994), with Europe, Asia, and Australia expecting similar growth rates (Korte & Wynne,1996; Teo, Lim, & Wai, 1998).  These teleworkers spend a consistent portion of their work week at a location other than thetraditional centrally located workplace, typically working out of their home, and rely upon computer and telecommunicationstechnology to do so.  Yet despite teleworks tremendous growth, researchers have been slow to investigate this increasinglypopular work arrangement.  In particular, existing research has been largely based on empirical analysis between groups ofteleworkers and non-teleworkers, and has largely ignored establishing an integrative theoretical framework to support empiricaltesting.To date, conventional wisdom contends that teleworking and job satisfaction are synonymous.  Indeed, while the popular pressis replete with poignant characterizations, antidotes, and future prospects for teleworkers (e.g. Apgar, 1998; Piskurich, 1998), withfew exceptions (e.g. Cascio, 2000; Igbaria & Guimaraes, 1999), only limited conceptual and empirical evidence exists to supportsuch claims.   Furthermore, although some evidence suggests that work outcomes are generally positive, this contention iscountered by concerns about social isolation, deteriorating relationships, and decreased productivity (Rupple & Harrington, 1995).Given these competing perspectives, I propose an integrative theoretical framework that more fully examines the link betweena teleworkers extent of teleworking and job satisfaction.  In so doing, I draw from two areas of research.  The first area drawnfrom literature on work adjustment (Dawis, England, & Lofquist, 1968) and the job characteristics model (Hackman & Oldham,1976), suggests that as the extent of teleworking increases, job satisfaction will increase.  This suggestion stems from the increasedautonomy and flexibility associated with teleworking, and the positive outcomes associated with such characteristics.  The secondarea of research draws from literature on information richness (Daft & Lengel, 1984), social presence (Short, Williams, & Christie,1976).  This literature suggests that as the extent of teleworking increases, the positive work outcomes may be tempered by thecharacteristics of the communication media through which teleworkers conduct their work activities.  This paper integrates thesecompeting perspectives to suggest a curvilinear relationship between the extent of teleworking and job satisfaction.Strategic Telework:  Present and Future Directions2170 2002  Eighth Americas Conference on Information SystemsReconciling PerspectivesTeleworkers, by virtue of their different work mode, are likely to experience greater job satisfaction than non-teleworkers(Guimaraes & Dallow, 1999). As demonstrated by the large amount of literature on employee flexibility, when workers have theability to adjust tasks to meet their needs and desires they are more likely to be satisfied (Baltes, Briggs, Huff, Wright, & Neuman,1999). In addition, as suggested by the work adjustment model (Dawis, et al., 1968), work adjustment occurs when the abilitiesof the individual and the ability requirements of the job correspond with the needs of the individual and the satisfaction of thoseneeds by the work environment. In other words, since teleworking involves an altered work environment more controlled by theworker (Hartman, et al., 1992; Weiss, 1994), the teleworker is apt to experience increased ability to organize and conduct workactivities so as to satisfy both individual and organizational needs. Similarly, job characteristics theory (Hackman & Oldham,1976) suggests that autonomy is an important psychological state that leads to job satisfaction. The more extensively oneteleworks, the more autonomy experienced, leading to higher levels of job satisfaction (Boutellier, Gassmann, Macho, & Roux,1998). Taken together, the literatures on work adjustment and job characteristics suggest a positive association between extentof teleworking and job satisfaction. On the other hand, interaction mediums are particularly important to teleworkers since in order to perform effectively theseindividuals must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships, coordinate work activities, share information,and transfer outcomes of their work efforts (Fish, Kraut, Root, & Rice, 1993). In turn, when such activities are more difficult toperform, job satisfaction is likely to suffer. Since interaction mediums differ in their capacity for transferring messages (Lengel& Daft, 1988; Rice & Shook, 1990), the exchanges which occur between the teleworker and others in the organization are likelyto be highly impacted. Consonant with this theory, social presence theory (Rice, 1993; Short, et al., 1976) suggests that onessocial presence, when communicating with others, depends not only on the words utilized during the interaction, but also on therange of verbal, non-verbal, and contextual indicators (Short, et al, 1976).  Taken together, this literature suggests a negativeassociation between the extent of teleworking and job satisfaction. Consequently, the more extensively individuals telework, thelower their job satisfaction. The competing perspectives posed by these two sets of research streams and their associated predictions may be reconciled byhypothesizing a curvilinear relationship between the extent of teleworking and job satisfaction. In effect, when the extent ofteleworking is minimal, teleworkers are able to enjoy some of the advantages of increased autonomy, while at the same time theymay be able to more easily adjust work activities to fit the limitations of the interaction mediums, thereby enabling increased jobsatisfaction (Dawis, et al., 1968). However, as the extent of teleworking increases, the benefits of autonomy are likely to besignificantly offset by the individuals increasing isolation and frustration experienced due to extensive reliance uponimpoverished communication mediums to conduct a larger proportion of work activities involving interactions with others. Rather than competing perspectives, however, these two areas of research may be best viewed as complementary, and suggestiveof a more complex relationship between the extent of teleworking and job satisfaction.Consider the following.  When teleworking is limited to only one or two days per week, employees may be able to easily manage(e.g. adjust) work activities to fit the limitations of the interaction mediums, thereby enabling increased job satisfaction (Dawis,et al.).  As the extent of teleworking increases, however, the worker will be increasingly forced to rely upon IT enabledcommunication mediums to conduct a larger proportion of work activities involving interactions with others.  The worker mayno longer be able to defer most interactive tasks to when he or she is in the office.  Whereas teleworking 1 or 2 days per weekfacilitated a large amount of flexibility to adjust work activities to meet both individual abilities and needs as well as the abilityrequirements of the job, increased amounts of teleworking reduces this flexibility.The above discussion suggests that there is likely to be an optimal extent of teleworking that maximizes its benefits whileminimizing its drawbacks.  At either extreme of the teleworking continuum, the advantages of teleworking are not likely to beas substantial as when a mid-level of teleworking is practiced.  At a mid-level of telewokring, the capability to maximally alignindividual and work demands and characteristics of the job, as well as the ability to minimize limitations imposed by IT enabledinteractions, may be both achieved.  Hence, when comparing among teleworkers, the relationship between the extent ofteleworking and job satisfaction is likely to be curvilinear in shape.  ConclusionThis paper proposes an enriched theoretical perspective for understanding how telework impacts job satisfaction.  In departurefrom previous literature, it proposes that this relationship is not positive or negative, but rather curvilinear in nature.  Moreover,Golden/Reconciling Perxpectives2002  Eighth Americas Conference on Information Systems 2171it suggests that the extent of teleworking may be an important consideration when seeking to understand the impact thatteleworking has on job satisfaction, rather than simply if employees telework.  While more work is needed, this constitutes animportant first step towards a more complete understanding of telework and other technology-enabled interactions.  ReferencesApgar, IV, M.  The alternative workplace: Changing where and how people work. Harvard Business Review, May-June 1998,pp 121-136.Baltes, B. B., Briggs, T. E., Huff, J. W., Wright, J. A., & Neuman, G. A.  Flexible and compressed workweek schedules: A meta-analysis of their effects on work-related criteria. Journal of Applied Psychology (84:4), 1999, pp. 496-513.Boutellier, R., Gassmann, O., Macho, H., & Roux, M.  Management of dispersed product development teams: The role ofinformation technologies. R&D Management (28:1), 1998, pp. 13-25.Cascio, W. F.  Managing a virtual workplace. Academy of Management Executive (14:3), 2000, pp. 81-90.Daft, R. L., & Lengel, R. H.  Information richness: A new approach to managerial behavior and organizational design. Researchin Organizational Behavior (6), 1984, pp. 191-233.Daft, R. L., & Lengel, R. H. Organizational information requirements, media richness and structural design. Management Science(32), 1986, pp. 554-571.Dawis, R. V., England, G. W., & Lofquist, L. H.  A theory of work adjustment (Rev. ed.). University of Minnesota Studies inVocational Rehabilitation, XXIII: Bulletin 47, 1968.Fish, R. S., Kraut, R. E., Root, T. W., Rice, R. E.  Video as a technology for informal communication. Communications of theACM (36:1), 1993, pp. 48-61.Guimaraes, T., & Dallow, P.  Empirically testing the benefits, problems, and success factors for telecommuting programmes.European Journal of Information Systems (8), 1999, pp. 40-54.Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R.  Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory. Organizational Behavior and HumanPerformance (16),  1976, pp. 250-279.Hartman, R. C., Stoner, C. R., Arora, R.  Developing successful organizational telecommuting arrangements: Worker perceptionsand managerial prescriptions. SAM Advanced Management Journal (57), 1992, pp. 35-42.Igbaria, M., & Guimaraes, T.  Exploring differences in employee turnover intentions and its determinants among telecommutersand non-telecommuters. Journal of Management Information Systems (6:1), 1999, pp. 147-164.Korte, W. B., & Wynne, R.  Telework: Penetration, potential and practice in Europe. Washington, DC: IOS Press, 1996.Piskurich, G. M.  An organizational guide to telecommuting: Setting up and running a successful telecommuter program,Alexandria, Virginia: American Society for Training and Development, 1998.Ruppel, C. P., & Harrington, S. J.  Telework: An innovation where nobody is getting on the bandwagon? The DATABASE forAdvances in Information Systems (26:2, 3), 1995, pp. 87-104.Short, J., Willliams, E., & Christie, B.  The social psychology of telecommunications. London: John Wiley & Sons, 1976.U. S. Department of Transportation  Transportation implications of telecommuting. Washington, DC: U. S. Government PrinitngOffice, 1993.Weiss, J. M. Telecommuting boosts employee output. HRMagazine (39), 1994, pp. 51-53.Wilkes, R. B., Frolick, M. N., Urwiler, R. Critical issues in developing successful telework programs. Journal of SystemsManagement (45), 1994, pp. 30-34.

TOWARD RECONCILING COMPETING PERSPECTIVES
ON TELEWORK

https://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1655&amp;context=amcis2002

TOWARD RECONCILING COMPETING PERSPECTIVES ON TELEWORK

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)