ArticlePublisher preview available

Assessment of Telework in a Federal Agency at the Operational Phase

Authors:
Richard Monroe at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Richard Monroe
James C. Haug at Longwood University
James C. Haug
Read publisher preview
Download citation
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract and Figures

Telework as an optional work arrangement has gained significant popularity over the last few decades in organizations of all kinds. Private businesses and public agencies have found telework to be valuable for increasing work capacity while many employees regard telework as an attractive benefit when it is available. Telework provides greater schedule flexibility for employees, an alternative that maintains productivity during weather emergencies, and provides the opportunity for better work-life balance for employees. This paper describes an assessment of attitudes about telework in a federal agency. The impact of telework on agency mission and employee attitudes about related aspects of telework are assessed. The assessment is conducted through an online questionnaire administered to the entire workforce at one specific federal agency location. Issues addressed include teleworker accountability, teamwork, independent work and telework as an employee benefit. Overall, the results indicate mainly positive attitudes about telework, the agency mission and the work environment throughout the agency.
Figures - available from: Public Organization Review
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
A preview of this full-text is provided by Springer Nature.
Learn more
Content available from Public Organization Review
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
Vol.:(0123456789)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-021-00538-0
1 3
Assessment ofTelework inaFederal Agency
attheOperational Phase
RichardW.Monroe1· JamesC.Haug2
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
2021
Abstract
Telework as an optional work arrangement has gained significant popularity over the
last few decades in organizations of all kinds. Private businesses and public agen-
cies have found telework to be valuable for increasing work capacity while many
employees regard telework as an attractive benefit when it is available. Telework
provides greater schedule flexibility for employees, an alternative that maintains
productivity during weather emergencies, and provides the opportunity for better
work-life balance for employees. This paper describes an assessment of attitudes
about telework in a federal agency. The impact of telework on agency mission and
employee attitudes about related aspects of telework are assessed. The assessment is
conducted through an online questionnaire administered to the entire workforce at
one specific federal agency location. Issues addressed include teleworker account-
ability, teamwork, independent work and telework as an employee benefit. Overall,
the results indicate mainly positive attitudes about telework, the agency mission and
the work environment throughout the agency.
Keywords Telework· Federal agency· Agency mission· Benefits· Accountability·
Teamwork
Introduction
In today’s competitive environment, organizations must leverage technology for
the optimal use of both traditional and geographically distributed segments of the
workforce. However, given the usual goal of forming strong relationships within the
workforce and with an organization’s clients, there are inevitable concerns about the
possible disconnection that can occur when workers perform their tasks remotely.
* James C. Haug
haugjc@longwood.edu
1 North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, USA
2 Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA23909, USA
Public Organization Review (2022) 22:725–742
Accepted: 7 June 2021 / Published online: 29 June 2021
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... Por consiguiente, deben desarrollar aspectos como la inteligencia emocional; así como enfocarse en otras competencias como: sensibilidad social, justicia social, capacidad de interrelación, trabajo en equipo, emprendimiento y autoeficacia (Demircioglu & Chowdhury, 2020;Dirani et al., 2020;Qing et al., 2020;Donkor, 2021;Lajčin & Porubčanová, 2021). Otro punto fundamental durante la etapa de pandemia y trabajo virtual fue disminuir la distancia con los empleados trabajando desde casa, y que más allá de verificar que el empleado realice sus tareas, debe conducir y motivar el equilibrio vida-trabajo, sin debilitar las reglas y el tiempo laboral (Dirani et al., 2020;Asif & Rathore, 2021;Dwiedienawati et al., 2021;Monroe & Haug, 2021). De igual manera, debe fomentar la comunicación bilateral voluntaria que facilite la instrucción de actividades (realistas); la autonomía; el conocimiento sobre inquietudes y necesidades de los empleados; compartir los desafíos, y celebrar los logros (Ika et al., 2020;Donkor, 2021;Goodson & Schostak, 2021). ...
... Los líderes deben estar capacitados y contar con conocimientos para instruir a sus colaboradores. Incluso el desarrollo de competencias tecnológicas debe ser parte de la cultura organizacional porque la actualidad económica global se caracteriza por ser inestable, dinámica e incierta y la tecnología ofrece opciones para flexibilizar los procesos, reducir costos, actuar con agilidad y adaptarse a cualquier cambio (Monroe & Haug, 2021). De hoy en adelante términos como e-learning, e-leadership, teleworking, artificial intelligence (AI), Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) y otros relacionados con la era digital deben ser parte de la agenda los gestores públicos y del conocimiento sobre la administración pública (Gabryelczyk, 2020;Toleikienė et al., 2020;Baimyrzaeva & Meyer, 2021). ...
Liderazgo en el sector público en tiempos de COVID-19 y más allá
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2023
La inesperada aparición y propagación de la COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) ha tenido un impacto devastador en todo el mundo. Las medidas determinadas para combatirlo han afectado las decisiones económicas, políticas y sociales. Asimismo, los efectos en las organizaciones públicas han exigido cambios y soluciones organizativas para dar respuesta a las demandas y cumplimiento de objetivos durante este periodo crítico. Un factor determinante en momentos de cambio e incertidumbre organizacional es el rol de liderazgo que apoye el cumplimiento de los objetivos organizacionales de manera eficaz y eficiente a partir de cualquier evento inesperado. Por consiguiente, es necesario centrar la atención en identificar las competencias del líder requeridas para la gestión pública en tiempos de crisis. Este documento tiene como objetivo realizar una revisión sistemática de literatura bajo el enfoque PRISMA (n = 25) para realizar un mapeo actual de los estudios relacionados con el liderazgo en el sector público y construir un marco teórico preliminar sobre las competencias observadas en los líderes públicos para superar la crisis actual y que deben persistir ante la nueva normalidad y futuros retos que pongan a prueba la capacidad de adaptación del sector público.
View
... Other investigations were undertaken to analyze, identify, and characterize organizations' teleworking practices (Bagley et al. 2021;Delfino and Van Der Kolk 2021;Golden 2021;Günther et al. 2022;Kim et al. 2021;Monroe and Haug 2021;Park and Cho 2022;Rossi and Mc Laren 2022;Tavares et al. 2020). ...
“No Need to Dress to Impress” Evidence on Teleworking during and after the Pandemic: A Systematic Review
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2024
Due to the working conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking also known as remote work has witnessed an increase in use, prompting a resurgence of interest in the topic among researchers. This article analyzes the evolution of literature before, during, and after the pandemic, as well as the research foci through an application of the antecedents, decisions, and outcomes framework. A systematic literature review methodology was employed using the evidence from 136 articles from 2016 to 2023. This review is about ‘telework literature in business, management, and accounting areas published in English’. Opportunities are identified for future studies and the findings afford managers with the advantage of understanding the crucial dimensions of telework. The bibliometric analysis revealed the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the widespread acceptance of teleworking globally, accompanied by a surge in studies on this subject. Additionally, the study provides deeper insights into the progression of teleworking literature since 2016 and organizes the various topics explored in this field.
View
... Se considera que este estudio aporta positivamente al área de investigación, dado que se ha encontrado que existen pocos instrumentos validados y con propiedades psicométricas conocidas, siendo la mayoría de ellos encuestas o checklist (Daenen et al., 2022;International Labour Organization, 2020;Monroe & Haug, 2022;Morgan, 2004;Ward & Shabha, 2001). Se considera relevante contar con un instrumento que permita la evaluación de las condiciones para el teletrabajo en funcionarios públicos, dado que, en Chile al menos, la entrada en vigencia del decreto supremo 18/2020 del Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social, que reconoce la modalidad de teletrabajo, incorpora un ámbito de evaluación de condiciones de esta modalidad laboral, pero únicamente basado en una autoevaluación (Complementa las instrucciones de la Circular N° 3.532, 2020). ...
Estructura Factorial e Invarianza del Cuestionario Condiciones para Teletrabajo en el Hogar en Población Chilena
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2023
A partir de la pandemia por COVID-19, el teletrabajo tuvo un uso extendido en diversas organizaciones, sin evaluar sus condiciones óptimas, tanto por la situación de emergencia como por la falta de instrumentos. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar la estructura interna y la invarianza por sexo de un cuestionario que evalúa las condiciones personales, familiares, laborales y del hogar que influyen en el teletrabajo. Para ello se construyó el cuestionario Condiciones para el Teletrabajo en el Hogar, diseñado en base a estudios y reportes de experiencias desarrolladas en la temática. Participaron 1165 funcionarios públicos de tres ciudades de la región del Maule, Chile, siendo una amplia mayoría del género femenino (85%), con edades entre los 30 y 65 años. Se realizó análisis factorial exploratorio y confirmatorio. Los resultados señalan que el instrumento logra una estructura factorial robusta y un nivel de consistencia interna muy alto (alfa de Cronbach de 0,96), con 32 ítems y 5 dimensiones con interrelaciones significativas y fuertes, entre 0,60 y 0,85. la invarianza por sexo presenta diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres. Se concluye que el instrumento presenta alta consistencia interna y validez, lo que permite su utilización en la medición de factores relevantes para el logro de un adecuado sistema de teletrabajo. Sin embargo, se debe revisar la diferencia entre hombres y mujeres, pues los factores podrían ser sensibles a diferencias culturales. Otra limitación es que el estudio solo realiza la validación interna, faltando avanzar en la validación externa del constructo.
View
... Online assessment has become increasingly popular recently (Lie et al., 2020;Monroe & Haug, 2022;Tang et al., 2020) . This has been a wellliked strategy to encourage learning flexibility (Alavi et al., 2022) as it is so straightforward to accurately and thoroughly assess student learning (Zheng et al., 2020). ...
EXAMINING TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN ASSESSMENT PRACTICES
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2023
The integration of technology in education has become increasingly important, and understanding how teachers perceive and approach online assessment is crucial for effective implementation in the field of EFL teaching. This study investigates the perceptions and attitudes of EFL teachers in Junior High Schools in East Java towards online assessment. Despite the potential benefits of online assessment, there is a research gap in how EFL teachers in this context perceive and utilize it. This research aims to explore EFL teachers' beliefs and views about online testing and the specific challenges they encounter when adopting online assessment. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were gathered from 100 EFL teachers through surveys and semi-structured interviews. Findings reveal that EFL teachers generally hold a positive perception and attitude towards online assessment, acknowledging advantages like faster grading and accurate measurement of learning outcomes. However, they face challenges related to technological proficiency, student competence assessment, and teacher confidence in using ICT. These findings contribute to the field by emphasizing the importance of supporting teachers' technological proficiency and fostering an inclusive learning environment, optimizing the potential benefits of online assessment in EFL classrooms.
View
... Recent telework studies specific to the public sector have also produced inconsistent findings. One research stream found that telework positively impacted agency mission, employee job satisfaction, and improved work-life balance for public sector employees during COVID-19 (Dandalt 2021, Monroe andHaug 2022;Lewis et al. 2023). However, another stream finds that telework can be dysfunctional and result in lower performance, resilience, and well-being (Boulet and Parent-Lamarch 2022;Fischer et al. 2022;Metselaar et al. 2022), and leads to greater social isolation and work alienation (Doberstein and Charbonneau 2022;Schuster et al. 2020). ...
More isn’t always better: exploring the curvilinear effects of telework
Article
  • Jun 2023
While telework has become a popular occupational mode, research has found both positive and negative effects on employee outcomes. To reconcile these inconsistent findings, we apply the job demands–resources model and investigate the possible curvilinear effect of telework on innovative and counterproductive work behavior. Analysis of two-wave survey data from South Korean public officials indicates that the relationship between the extent of telework and employee work attitudes is not always positive or negative. We find that telework can be a job resource promoting positive work attitudes, but this beneficial impact decreases and can eventually become negative as employees telework more extensively. Additionally, leader–member exchange relationships play an important moderating role. A high-quality employee–supervisor relationship can enhance the benefits of extensive teleworking, but a low-quality relationship can make the downsides of telework even worse.
View
... Recent studies highlight how remote work in public administration can add value and be appreciated by civil servants [39]. However, it is unclear how many workers will decide, when the pandemic is over, whether to return to work full time at the office, and how they will assess the choices that the HR people and managers make about remote work, to guarantee organizational efficiency and effectiveness. ...
The Implementation of a Remote Work Program in an Italian Municipality before COVID-19: Suggestions to HR Officers for the Post-COVID-19 Era
Article
Full-text available
  • Aug 2021
This case study describes the implementation stages and some outcomes of a remote work program that was adopted in an Italian municipality before the COVID-19 pandemic. This research used a qualitative case study approach, proposing a semi-structured interview with 14 staff members (six remote-worker employees, their respective managers, and two intermediate-level managers) about the experience with the remote work program. In addition, two researchers attended two preparatory program meetings. The evidence shows that, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work was mainly performed at home, for one or two days a week. Together with their manager, remote workers decided the tasks to perform remotely and the criteria to monitor remote work. Furthermore, employees appreciated the remote work program, perceiving themselves to be more productive in their work. Elements of this case study may be relevant for companies that aim to move from an emergency to a more planned remote work.
View
Enhancing Telework: Public Sector Employees' Attitudes and Key Factors for Effective Implementation Enhancing Telework: Public Sector Employees' Attitudes and Key Factors for Effective Implementation
Conference Paper
Full-text available
  • Mar 2025
Teleworking is a working model that has experienced a substantial increase in recent years at a global level due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to identify employees' attitudes in the public sector regarding the implementation of telework, as well as the recording of the characteristics that contribute to improving performance and, therefore, its more effective implementation. A bibliographic review method was chosen where a total of 46 empirical studies or primary data were studied, both in Greek and foreign language literature. From the literature review results, it was found that those employed in the public sector maintain a positive attitude towards the implementation of telework, provided that appropriate working conditions are ensured, and their expectations are met. Also, it was observed that the existence of the necessary infrastructure, the attitudes of the employees, the provision of suitable working conditions, as well as the existence of the required knowledge and skills are the factors that influence the effectiveness of the implementation of telework. Finally, it is proposed that empirical research be carried out in Greece due to the need for corresponding studies.
View
Teletrabajo y balance trabajo-vida: nuevo paradigma en pandemia
Chapter
  • Oct 2023
En medio de esta crisis el sector público, el sector privado y la academia dialogaron y buscaron espacios para interactuar. La academia contribuyó no solo al debate, sino también con investigación o con su participación directa para comprender y enfrentar las múltiples aristas que abrió la pandemia, con la toma de decisiones y el diseño e implementación de acciones y políticas, que no han sido sistematizadas. Este libro, impulsado por el Vicerrectorado de Investigación de la Universidad del Pacífico, aspira a recoger algunas de esas experiencias para ponerlas en valor. Así, el lector encontrará trabajos, teóricos y aplicados, que reflejan la diversidad de intereses de los investigadores de la Universidad del Pacífico, pero también documentos de estudiosos de otras universidades que respondieron a la convocatoria pública hecha por la UP. Los estudios reunidos en el libro dan cuenta de las respuestas a la COVID-19 que surgieron en diferentes ámbitos de las esferas pública y privada en sectores de actividad sensibles y visiblemente impactados por la pandemia, como son empleo, salud, transporte, educación o agricultura. Esta riqueza temática se complementa con la diversidad de enfoques presentados, que transitan desde el análisis sectorial macro al análisis organizacional, y a aquel centrado en los actores individuales, como trabajadoras del hogar o consumidores de productos orgánicos, por citar dos ejemplos.
View
Employee Engagement and Job Burnout in the Context of Teleworking
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2022
This paper explores the relationship between engagement and job burnout perceived by teleworking employees. The theoretical framework of this paper explains the concepts of telework, work engagement, and job burnout, but also the relationships between these variables. Telework is a “new reality” for many employees, and in this new work context, engagement and burnout must be investigated, especially for entry level employees. We analyzed the relationship between engagement and telework, respectively burnout and telework based on a questionnaire. The results reveal a positive relationship between engagement and telework and a negative correlation between burnout and telework. The research results also show that burnout has a high level among telework employees, and exhaustion is the most pronounced problem.
View
Teleworking and Work–Life Balance During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2022
Le télétravail, une modalité de travail qui permet aux employés de travailler en dehors des limites d’un bureau grâce aux technologies de l’information et de la communication, est en hausse. La pandémie de la COVID-19 ayant imposé des règles de distanciation sociale, les modes de travail alternatifs gagnent en popularité. Or, étant donné la croissance rapide du télétravail et l’intérêt des employés à continuer à utiliser ce mode de fonctionnement, l’examen de la littérature disponible est essentiel pour guider les travaux futurs. La présente étude visait à examiner les effets du télétravail sur les domaines professionnels et non professionnels des employés. Une attention particulière a été accordée aux effets sur l’équilibre entre le travail et la vie privée. Dans le cadre de l’équilibre entre le travail et la vie privée, les conséquences sur la santé psychologique et le rendement ont également été examinées. Six bases de données ont été consultées pour rassembler les articles publiés entre janvier 2020 et décembre 2021. Au total, 42 articles provenant d’Asie, d’Europe, d’Amérique du Nord et du Sud, ainsi que d’Océanie, ont été inclus. Des résultats hétérogènes ont été identifiés en ce qui concerne l’équilibre entre le travail et la vie privée et la santé psychologique, et ces incohérences semblent dépendre de facteurs modérateurs tels que le sexe biologique, les stratégies de gestion des limites et la fréquence du télétravail, pour n’en citer que quelques-uns. Le rendement, quant à lui, semblait bénéficier davantage du télétravail, bien que certaines exceptions (par exemple, le fait d’avoir des animaux domestiques, de jeunes enfants ou des personnes à charge) semblent l’affecter négativement. Nous concluons que le télétravail n’est peut-être pas bénéfique pour tous et qu’il est nécessaire de mieux comprendre l’impact du télétravail sur les différents domaines personnels et privés des employés.
View
Relationship Building in Virtual Teams: An Academic Case Study
Conference Paper
Full-text available
  • Jan 2006
Information Technology (IT) provides the infrastructure for communication and collaboration tools for virtual teams, but Henttonen and Blomqvist (2005) suggest that it is the relational communication and factors of trust, commitment and communication that attention. This case study presents a team building strategy for such interaction. Off-campus students in an undergraduate course apply technological design concepts for social mechanisms in communication and collaboration to virtual teamwork. Students utilise the themes of conversation, awareness and coordination and document their reflection on their use over the team lifecycle. All functioning teams indicated that these social mechanisms helped to build team trust and commitment. Seventy-two percent of students indicated positive team experience, despite constraints of workload, time pressure, technology tools, distance and uncooperative team members. This study argues that use of guided and iterative reflections on social mechanisms support virtual team functioning and strengthen relationships.
View
Unpackaging Manager Mistrust in Allowing Telework: Comparing and Integrating Theoretical Perspectives
Article
Full-text available
Purpose We developed and tested an integrative model centering on the significance of trust as a basis for managers’ decisions about allowing versus prohibiting their employees to telework. We examined the importance of trust in relation to several other factors managers may consider in making telework decisions including coordination and communication, equity, and a desire to accommodate employees. Design/Methodology/Approach Study 1 was a policy capturing investigation of 71 respondents intended to document the relative importance and interactions among trust and these other theoretically based factors. Study 2 was a test of the full theoretical model based on the responses of 85 managers who reported on these considerations for the 191 employees about whom they make telework decisions. Findings Results from the two studies were largely consistent. Managers’ assessments of employees’ conscientiousness and trustworthiness were paramount in predicting telework allowance, with the other theoretically based considerations generally failing to attenuate the importance of those personal assessments. Implications Organizations wishing to increase the use of telework (e.g., by implementing manager telework training) must directly address managers’ mistrust as a factor underlying this resistance. Job-related and technological changes may not dampen the effects of mistrust. Originality To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive and theoretically grounded assessment of the various considerations factoring into managers’ telework decisions.
View
A Quasi-Experimental Examination of Telework Eligibility and Participation in the U.S. Federal Government
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2018
This article examines the causal effects of telework eligibility and participation on employee attitudes, including perceived fairness, job satisfaction, and intention to stay, in the U.S. federal government. Drawing on the literatures on social exchange and organizational justice, we investigate how telework eligibility and participation influence employee attitudes and whether different reasons for nonparticipation have varying impacts. Our findings show that those employees who are eligible to telework report higher levels of perceived fairness, job satisfaction, and intention to stay than do those employees who are ineligible. On the other hand, the effects of telework participation on employee attitudes depend upon the reasons why nonparticipants do not telework. Specifically, when employees do not telework because of insufficient technical or managerial support, they report significantly lower levels of perceived fairness, job satisfaction, and intention to stay than do teleworkers. However, nontelework due to job requirements or personal choice does not have significant, negative effects on work attitudes.
View
The Impact of Decoupling of Telework on Job Satisfaction in U.S. Federal Agencies: Does Gender Matter?
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2016
  • AM REV PUBLIC ADM
This study analyzes the effects of decoupling of telework on job satisfaction using the 2013 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The research divides telework programs for public employees by two criteria: (a) whether or not federal agencies have officially adopted the program, and (b) whether or not public employees actually participate in the program. We find that both organizational adoption and employee participation in telework have a positive relationship with job satisfaction, and these results support the social exchange theory. We also observe that the effects of decoupling of telework on job satisfaction are more significant for female public employees than for male public employees. The results imply that female employees have the lowest levels of job satisfaction when agencies officially adopt telework but employees cannot utilize the program. However, male employees have the lowest levels of job satisfaction when they are unable to utilize a nonexistent telework program.
View
Relationship building in virtual teams: A leadership behavioral complexity perspective
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2013
E-leadership has emerged in virtual team literature as an important determinant of relationship building. However, the way e-leaders develop high quality relationship between virtual team members is little understood. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key roles that enable virtual team leaders to build high-quality exchanges with their team members. We draw on the behavioral complexity theory to analyze the roles played by e-leaders, which help them to develop effective leader-member exchanges (LMX). We draw up a research model to explain how e-leaders build cooperative and collaborative relationships through social-related and work-related activities. We then test the research model using a large survey of 193 virtual team members. Our findings show that, except for internal process roles (coordination and monitoring), open systems roles, roles of rational pursuit of goals and human relation roles have a significant positive effect on LMX.
View
Putting on the Thinking Cap: Using NeuroIS to Understand Information Processing Biases in Virtual Teams
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2014
Virtual teams are increasingly common in today's organizations, yet they often make poor decisions. Teams that interact using text-based collaboration technology typically exchange more information than when they perform the same task face-to-face, but past results suggest that team members are more likely to ignore information they receive from others. Collaboration technology makes unique demands on individual cognitive resources that may change how individual team members process information in virtual settings compared to face-to-face settings. This experiment uses electroencephalography, electrodermal activity, and facial electromyography to investigate how team members process information received from text-based collaboration during a team decision-making process. Our findings show that information that challenges an individual's prediscussion decision preference is processed similarly to irrelevant information, while information that supports an individual's prediscussion decision preference is processed more thoroughly. Our results present neurological evidence for the underlying processes of confirmation bias in information processing during online team discussions.
View
Strategic niche management in transition pathways: Telework advocacy as groundwork for an incremental transformation
Article
  • Mar 2020
This article presents telework advocacy in the United States as a case of strategic niche management that contributed to an incremental transformation of office work location practice in the United States. In its first decades, telework advocacy showed elements of strategic niche management including vision and expectations, learning processes, and social networks. Supported by environmental and economic landscape pressures, trip reduction and travel demand management policies opened up protected spaces at the local, state, or federal levels for the practice of telework, with public agencies as experimenters. Niche and incumbent actors shared a strategy of promoting telework in structured circumstances and spoke to organizational and employee benefit alongside societal benefits. Yet as landscape pressures lessened, incumbent actors took greater ownership of the innovations of telework, and shifted their vision to one that considers telecommuting as a function of human resources rather than a societal imperative.
View
Do Leadership Commitment and Performance-Oriented Culture Matter for Federal Teleworker Satisfaction With Telework Programs?
Article
  • May 2018
A substantial number of federal employees have been teleworking due to its perceived benefits—time and location flexibility and better balance between family and work. Yet, managing teleworkers in public organizations can be challenging due to the added expenses associated with monitoring remote workers. Also, the unforeseen drawbacks of remote work may decrease teleworker satisfaction with telework programs. Drawing on insights from the political economy of hierarchy and institution theories, this study examines whether leadership commitment to telework and performance-oriented culture matter for federal teleworker satisfaction with telework programs. It examines two-year datasets of the 2008 and 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Surveys. The findings show that leadership commitment to telework, performance-oriented culture, and the enactment of the 2010 Telework Enhancement Act all play significant roles in enhancing federal teleworker satisfaction with telework programs.
View
Managing Global Design Teams
Article
  • Jul 2008
Geographically distributed design teams have become crucial, yet a significant number fail to accomplish their objectives. The reason is that long distances and cultural differences compromise working relationships, communications, trust, accountability, organization, individual contribution, and thus productivity. This paper analyzes eight such teams in the high-tech industry and discusses the most common issues/problems that surround them. These are categorized as technological, organizational and personal. An expert panel assigns a score to the problems and provides a set of recommendations that can improve productivity and minimize failure in such virtual teams.
View
Do Teleworkers Possess Higher Levels of Public Service Motivation?
Article
  • Jun 2015
A survey conducted on U.S. federal government employees was analyzed, and the results indicate that federal workers who telecommuted frequently (i.e., those teleworking 4 to 5 days a week) reported higher levels of PSM than federal workers who did not telecommute frequently. The results also revealed that frequent teleworkers reported higher levels of PSM than employees teleworking less than 1 day a week and employees teleworking 1 day a week. However, frequent teleworkers were not found to report higher levels of PSM than employees teleworking 2 to 3 days a week.
View