Teleworking generally refers to any type of technology-enabled or assisted work carried out away from a central work location, as well as the substitution of ICTs for work-linked travel. Telework has significant benefits for the employer and employee, especially with regard to fostering the organization’s competitive capabilities in an increasingly inter-linked and globalized economy (Telcoa, 2012). Further, teleworking also enhances the organization’s capacity to retain and recruit qualified and killed employees, which will in turn improve the firm’s creative capacities and productivity. In addition, teleworking also enables organizations to reduce expenses related to business travel and hiring or renting of facilities, as well as overhead costs linked to working in centralized locations such as health and liability insurance payments. With regard to the employee, teleworking also has significant benefits such as improve work-life balance that allows the worker to balance the demands of family and work life while also improving their self-reliance (Telcoa, 2012).
Nevertheless, for the organization to leverage these benefits of teleworking, it is important to focus on several factors that influence the success of teleworking programs. To begin with, organizations should have clear policies on teleworking and an organizational culture that supports effective teleworking (Snyder, 2012). In this case, the organization should have an adaptable and flexible workplace policy that allows for teleworking on the basis of management approval and job requirements. Furthermore, the workplace policy should be adapted to reflect employee entitlements and state-specific regulations and laws. The organization would also be required to create a trusting culture to ensure responsible working, determination of an effective balance between collaboration and autonomous action, and effective practices of performance management. An efficient teleworking organization also requires the means to develop and measure the job performance of employees. For instance, the organization may implement a pay-for-performance approach to employee compensation and an effective performance management system for the assessment of employees and the determination of employee compensation (Snyder, 2012).
Furthermore, an employee development and compensation model that used in teleworking environments should aid the manager and employees to determine particular job expectations and goals. In addition, this model should also provide the employee with the flexibility to determine how and when to meet the goal and expectations (Snyder, 2012). A successful teleworking program will also need the right technology for remote and mobile employees, which will allow the employee to work from almost any location. The organization will also have to train and develop their managers to reduce discomfort and resistance to the adoption of teleworking, especially for managers who are uncomfortable with reduced control over their employees’ work. In addition, the creation and maintenance of a relationship between management and employees remotely requires adequate training. As such, the organization should provide coaching and training to managers concerning effective communication, setting of expectations, and generating or using job performance feedback from the employees (Snyder, 2012).
Boell et al. (2016) also note that the success of a teleworking program is determined by the complexity of individual and work experiences within the organization’s practice, as well as enactment of ICT in the work tasks and work activity diversity. To overcome challenges that may arise from these factors, it is important to have in-person gatherings as part of the teleworking program. In this case, teleworking employees need to have social interactions that may only happen face-to-face, especially depending on the individual employee’s personality. As a result, the organization may sponsor events that bring employees from nearby remote locations together, even in cases where some of the employees do not work in similar departments or teams. By being part of such events, the employees receive networking and social opportunities that will enhance their feeling of belonging and togetherness within the organization (Boell et al., 2016). Overall, the success of teleworking programs in the organization requires an effective combination of the right practices or policies, organizational culture, and technology.
- Boell, S. K., Cecez‐Kecmanovic, D., & Campbell, J. (2016). Telework paradoxes and practices: the importance of the nature of work. New Technology, Work and Employment, 31(2), 114-131
- Snyder, K. (2012). Enhancing telework: A guide to virtual leadership. Public Manager, 41(1), 11-29
- Telcoa. (2012). TelCoa’s Top 10 Reasons to Telework. Retrieved August 27, 2017, from Telcoa: http://www.telcoa.org/about-us/telcoas-top-10-reasons-to-telework/
