2. Goals of Session
Review Case Study Research
Understand current trends and tips for teleworking
Learn strategies for creating a teleworking
environment
Determine if it is “right for you”
Answer remaining questions
3. Topic Review
Professional Staff Senate
Taskforce – Flexible Work Life Balance
Personal Experience
Two jobs and teleworking
Gap in the literature
Lived experience
Higher Education
The Lived Experience of Teleworking:
A Case Study from the Higher Education Environment
4. History of Telework
Jack Nilles: "Father of Telecommuting" 1974. -Teleworking: Work that is
conducted away from the usual place of business but mostly at home
and that is often supported by telecommunications, Internet access, or
a computer.
Falls under the umbrella of Flexible Work/Life Balance (FWLB).
Other FWLB: shared work schedules, modified schedule, Hoteling,
remote working, modified work week, Flexitour, etc.
Originally designed in response to relocating to suburbs and rising oil
and energy costs.
Federal Government
6. Research Questions
RQ #1: What are the lived experiences of exempt
employees who telework?
Results = Chapter 4
Narratives of the lived experiences
RQ #2: Do these employees experience fit as outlined
by the Concept of Fit theoretical framework?
Results = Chapter 5
Findings organized by the theoretical framework
7. Theoretical Framework:
Concept of Fit
DISTRIBUTED WORK ARRANGEMENTS
Figure 1. A framework for studying distributed work arrangements (Belanger & Collins, 1998).
Organizational
Characteristics
Individual
Characteristics
Work
Characteristics
Technology
Characteristics
FIT Outcomes
Societal
IndividualOrganizational
8. Theoretical Framework:
Concept of Fit
SUMMARY OF MODEL VARIABLES
Organizational Characteristics Examples
Organizational objectives Cost savings, increased productivity and employee demands/incentives
Organizational culture Employee commitment and loyalty
Organizational control mechanisms Outcome, behavioral, personal, and clan controls
Individual Characteristics Examples
Individual objectives Cost savings, control of work schedule
Individual skills Technical and problem solving-skills, communication, reliability and
self-sufficiency
Work Characteristics Examples
Communication pattern Base on task type: high or low information exchange requirements
Coordination requirements Based on task type: standardized, scheduled, mutual agreement and team
coordination
Technology Characteristics Examples
Security requirement Appropriate equipment and furniture, information ownership and control
established
Physical setup Quiet space, access to appropriate equipment and support
Outcomes Examples
Societal Reduced pollution, work provided in low employment areas
Organizational Increased productivity, employee retention, reduced overhead
Individual Increased satisfaction, control of work schedule, increased productivity,
reduced commuting time and costs, stress from work-family conflicts
Figure 2. Summary of model variables.
9. Participant Profile
Demographic Characteristics of Participants
Participant Gender Ethnicity
Participant
Code
Telework
Day
Bertha F AA 1 Monday
Laya F AA 2 Wednesday
Mindi F C 3 Wednesday
Paul M C 4 Tuesday
Oobleck M C 5 Monday
Terry F SEA 6 Wednesday
Lynn F C 7 Wednesday
Lucy F C 8 Friday
Jim Hatfield M C 9 N/A
Wendy F AA 10 Friday
Anne F C 11 N/A
Note. F = Female; M = Male; AA = African American; C = Caucasian; SEA =
Southeast Asian.
10. Findings
Similar experiences among
participants
Plan tasks to ‘save’ for telework day
Distractions in the office/focus
Email – first ‘thing’ they do on
telework day
Supportive supervisors
Commute
Technology: internet and computer
Want to telework more
Office of support
Unique experiences among
participants
Communication with office
Start and end time of telework day
Personal tasks
Distraction at home
Technology
Tasks – processing/creativity
Negative thoughts/perceptions
RQ #1: What are the lived experiences of exempt employees who telework?
RQ #2: Do these employees experience fit as outlined by the Concept of Fit
theoretical framework?
11. Findings, Con’t.
4 characteristics = all present
Fit = participants not aware of framework
3 outcomes = all present
Overall, participants experience fit as outlined by the
Concept of Fit theoretical framework.
12. Recommendations
RECOMMENDED MODIFICATION TO DISTRIBUTED WORK ARRANGEMENTS
Figure 1. A recommended framework (Belanger & Collins, 199) for studying distributed work
arrangements. The dashed line is the recommended addition posed by the researcher.
Organizational
Characteristics
Individual
Characteristics
Work
Characteristics
Technology
Characteristics
FIT Outcomes
Societal
IndividualOrganizational
13. Implications for Future Research
Further analysis of Concept of Fit
Modification to Concept of Fit
Gender roles
Supervisory style/relationship
Results Oriented/Only Workplace Environment (ROWE)
Day of Week for teleworking
14. Next Steps
Publish findings
ProQuest
World at Work
AACRAO
Additional analysis
New study utilizing Concept of Fit
Further analysis with current data
Policy modification
HR representations at site institution
Presentations
Site Institution: Professional Staff Senate/President’s Council
Regional and National Organizations: World at Work/HR/HigherEd
System schools with teleworking policy
15. Employer: Pros to Telework
Save in expenses: water, electricity, paper, rent
Supporting decrease in carbon footprint/environmental
sustainability
Loss production due to outside factors decreased
Increased productivity: productivity studies consistently find
that teleworkers outperform their peers at the traditional office
by about 16 percent; which means that companies save $2 for
every $1 invested in remote equipment and extra phone lines”
(Hequet, 1994).
Increased office space
More 'favorable' to people with special needs
Increased range for recruitment of employees
Less vacation/sick time used for employees
16. Employee: Pros to Telework
Saved resources: fuel, car repair, dry cleaning, etc.: "teleworking
one day a week, the average commuter could save an estimated
$2,104 per year" (Markarian, 2007).
Increase in time
Decrease in distractions at work
Flexibility in the workplace
Trust and Organization Commitment: "common thread in the
commitment research is that when employers provide employees
with a rewarding job and supportive work environment,
employees reciprocate by becoming committed to the
organization" (Knudsen, Johnson, Martin, & Roman, 2003).
Increase in productivity; sense of deeper appreciation to the
institution
17. Cons to Telework
Resources are needed
Technology is not full proof
Risk of confidential data
Risk of staff not completing work
Missed "water cooler" conversations
Social isolation
Too much productivity/Work Life Balance issues
Creativity can flourish or flounder
Not suited for all employees (person and position)
19. Is it Right For You – Write It Out
Concept of Fit:
Organizational Characteristics
Individual Characteristics
Task Characteristics
Technology Characteristics
20. Registrar and Admissions
SIS – Electronic?
Document Imaging System – Electronic?
Access/VPN/Staff with Computers
Degree Audits
Request Tickets/Emails
Transcripts?
Reading of Admissions File
Generation of Letters
Residency Review and Appeals
Digital Catalog and Course Scheduling
21. How to get started
Review HR website for policy or benefit
Ensure you have a performance review of effective
Talk to your supervisor – mention to benefits to the
organization FIRST, and ones that will keep you engage
Offer a trial period
Offer to complete all paperwork/Make is hard for them to
say NO
Offer a “remote location” on campus
Offer 1 x month
Be clear with deliverables
Set clear expectations for communication
22. Thank you
Questions?
Comments?
References available upon request
Contact Information:
kwaters@umbc.edu
410-455-2096
