Drivers of teleworker productivity: A systematic review of the empirical evidence
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Abstract
This paper aims to identify the factors influencing teleworker productivity by reviewing empirical evidence found in the scientific literature on the topic. A systematic review was conducted to gather and evaluate primary literature sources, complemented by a bibliometric analysis of the volume, distribution, and trends in scientific production over the past 24 years. The effects found are heterogeneous, narrow in scope, and sometimes contradictory. Telework significantly impacts productivity, with its effects varying based on intensity, the nature of the tasks performed, and individual, social, and situational factors. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review of the factors influencing teleworker productivity, analyzing 318 research articles to identify the key determinants of productivity in remote work environments. It systematically categorizes these factors into individual, social, and situational dimensions, offering valuable insights for organizations and individuals adapting to the evolving landscape of telework.
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Tapasco-Alzate, O., Giraldo-García, J., Corpas-Iguarán, E., & Garcés-Gómez, Y. A. (2024). Drivers of teleworker productivity: A systematic review of the empirical evidence. Communications in Science and Technology, 9(2), 386-397. https://doi.org/10.21924/cst.9.2.2024.1406
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Open Access authors retain the copyrights of their papers, and all open access articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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29. J.F. Hair, R.E. Anderson, R.L. Tatham, W.C. Black, Análisis multivariante, 5ed ed., Prentice Hall Madrid, Madrid, 1999.
30. H. Rusell Bernard, Research Methods in Anthropology. Qualitative and Cuantitative Approaches, 4ed ed., Altamira Press, United States of America, 2006.
31. M. Palvalin, What matters for knowledge work productivity?, Employee Relations 41 (2019) 209–227.
32. D.E. Bailey, N.B. Kurland, A review of telework research: findings, new directions, and lessons for the study of modern work, J Organ Behav 23 (2002) 383–400.
33. T.D. Golden, J.F. Veiga, R.N. Dino, The Impact of Professional Isolation on Teleworker Job Performance and Turnover Intentions: Does Time Spent Teleworking, Interacting Face-to-Face, or Having Access to Communication-Enhancing Technology Matter?, Journal of Applied Psychology 93 (2008) 1412–1421.
34. B. Wang, Y. Liu, J. Qian, S.K. Parker, Achieving Effective Remote Working During the COVID?19 Pandemic: A Work Design Perspective, Applied Psychology 70 (2021) 16–59.
35. T.D. Allen, T.D. Golden, K.M. Shockley, How effective is telecommuting? Assessing the status of our scientific findings, Psychological Science in the Public Interest 16 (2015) 40–68.
36. P. Pyöriä, Managing telework: risks, fears and rules, Management Research Review 34 (2011) 386–399.
37. S. Tangen, Demystifying productivity and performance, Int. J. of Productivity and Performance Management 54 (2005) 34–46.
38. L.M. de Menezes, C. Kelliher, Flexible working and performance: A systematic review of the evidence for a business case, International Journal of Management Reviews 13 (2011) 452–474.
39. M. Solís, Moderators of telework effects on the work-family conflict and on worker performance, European Journal of Management and Business Economics 26 (2017) 21–34.
40. B. Al-Dabbagh, E. Scornavacca, A. Sylvester, D. Johnstone, The effect of ICT self-discipline in the workplace, ACIS 2015 Proceedings - 26th Australasian Conference on Information Systems (2015) 1–13.
41. R. Torten, C. Reaiche, Ervin.L. Caraballo, Teleworking in the new milleneum, The Journal of Developing Areas 50 (2016) 317–326.
42. O. Turetken, A. Jain, B. Quesenberry, O. Ngwenyama, An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Individual and Work Characteristics on Telecommuting Success, IEEE Trans Prof Commun 54 (2011) 56–67.
43. T.J. George, L.E. Atwater, D. Maneethai, J.M. Madera, Supporting the productivity and wellbeing of remote workers: Lessons from COVID-19, Organ Dyn 51 (2022) 100869.
44. D. Smite, A. Tkalich, N.B. Moe, E. Papatheocharous, E. Klotins, M.P. Buvik, Changes in perceived productivity of software engineers during COVID-19 pandemic: The voice of evidence, Journal of Systems and Software 186 (2022) 111197.
45. A. Nakrošien?, I. Bu?i?nien?, B. Goštautait?, Working from home: characteristics and outcomes of telework, Int J Manpow 40 (2019) 87–101.
46. E. Baker, G.C. Avery, J. Crawford, Satisfaction and Perceived Productivity when Professionals Work From Home, Research and Practice in Human Resource Management 15 (2007) 37–62.
47. E. Glenn Dutcher, The effects of telecommuting on productivity: An experimental examination. The role of dull and creative tasks, J Econ Behav Organ 84 (2012) 355–363.
48. A. Ahmed, A. Ishaque, T. Nawaz, Y. Ali, F. Hayat, Telecommuting: Impact on productivity of telecommuters, ICMIT 2014 - 2014 IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation and Technology (2014) 187–192.
49. N. Hoornweg, P. Peters, B. van der Heijden, Finding the optimal mix between telework and office hours to enhance employee productivity: A study into the relationship between telework intensity and individual productivity, with mediation of intrinsic motivation and moderation of office hours, Advanced Series in Management 16 (2016) 1–28.
50. T.D. Golden, R.S. Gajendran, Unpacking the Role of a Telecommuter’s Job in Their Performance: Examining Job Complexity, Problem Solving, Interdependence, and Social Support, J Bus Psychol 34 (2018) 55–69.
51. S. Kazekami, Mechanisms to improve labor productivity by performing telework, Telecomm Policy 44 (2020) 101868.
52. J. Kasemsukprakarn, K. Dowpiset, A Study of Factors Relating to Perceived Teleworking Productivity of Telework Employees in Co-Working Space at Pathumwan Area and Watthana Area in Bangkok, Thailand, Rajapark Journal 14 (2020) 223–237.
53. P.M. Bosch-Sijtsema, V. Ruohomäki, M. Vartiainen, Knowledge work productivity in distributed teams, Journal of Knowledge Management 13 (2009) 533–546.
54. A.C.G. Bianca, M. Van de Belt, C.P.M. Wilderom, Enabling performance measurement in a small professional service firm, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management 61 (2012) 839–862.
55. E.E. Kossek, B.A. Lautsch, S.C. Eaton, Telecommuting, control, and boundary management: Correlates of policy use and practice, job control, and work-family effectiveness, J Vocat Behav 68 (2006) 347–367.
2. ILO, Working from home: estimating the worldwide potential, (2020).
3. B.A. Balgiu, Measurement of the main factors involved in teleworking: Validation of the E-Work Life Scale among Romanian teleworkers, Work 74 (2023) 699–709.
4. M. Dalton, J.A. Groen, Telework during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Estimates Using the 2021 Business Response Survey, Monthly Lab. Rev. 1 (2022).
5. A. Belzunegui-Eraso, A. Erro-Garcés, Teleworking in the Context of the Covid-19 Crisis, Sustainability Article 12 (2020) 1–18.
6. O. for E.C. and D. OECD, Supporting people and companies to deal with the COVID-19 virus, (2020).
7. M. Hermayanty Saragih, M. Tania, L. Kartika Idris, Y. Prajnajaya, The Effect of Financial Compensation and Flexibility of Working Hours on Telecommuting Employee Performance, International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE) 8 (2019) 355–360.
8. D.J. Neufeld, Y. Fang, Individual, social and situational determinants of telecommuter productivity, Information and Management 42 (2005).
9. T.D. Golden, Altering the Effects of Work and Family Conflict on Exhaustion: Telework During Traditional and Nontraditional Work Hours, J Bus Psychol 27 (2012) 255–269.
10. T.D. Golden, J.F. Veiga, The impact of superior-subordinate relationships on the commitment, job satisfaction, and performance of virtual workers, Leadersh Q 19 (2008) 77–88.
11. R.S. Gajendran, D.A. Harrison, K. Delaney-Klinger, Are Telecommuters Remotely Good Citizens? Unpacking Telecommuting’s Effects on Performance Via I-Deals and Job Resources, Pers Psychol 68 (2015).
12. L. Martin, L. Hauret, C. Fuhrer, Digitally transformed home office impacts on job satisfaction, job stress and job productivity. COVID-19 findings, PLoS One 17 (2022) 1–23.
13. J. Weitzer, K. Papantoniou, S. Seidel, G. Klösch, G. Caniglia, M. Laubichler, M. Bertau, B.M. Birmann, C.C. Jäger, L. Zenk, G. Steiner, E. Schernhammer, Working from home, quality of life, and perceived productivity during the first 50-day COVID-19 mitigation measures in Austria: a cross-sectional study, Int Arch Occup Environ Health 94 (2021) 1823–1837.
14. World Bank Group, Global economic prospects: A World Bank Group flagship report, 2020.
15. J. Blahopoulou, S. Ortiz-Bonnin, M. Montañez-Juan, G. Torrens Espinosa, M.E. García-Buades, Telework satisfaction, wellbeing and performance in the digital era. Lessons learned during COVID-19 lockdown in Spain, Current Psychology 41 (2022) 2507–2520.
16. E. Moens, L. Lippens, P. Sterkens, J. Weytjens, S. Baert, The COVID-19 crisis and telework: a research survey on experiences, expectations and hopes, European Journal of Health Economics 23 (2022) 729–753.
17. A.P. Sutarto, S. Wardaningsih, W.H. Putri, Work from home: Indonesian employees’ mental well-being and productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic, Int J Workplace Health Manag 14 (2021) 386–408.
18. C. Ipsen, M. van Veldhoven, K. Kirchner, J.P. Hansen, Six key advantages and disadvantages of working from home in europe during covid-19, Int J Environ Res Public Health 18 (2021) 1–19.
19. O.A. Tapasco-Alzate, J. Giraldo-García, D. Ramírez-Ramírez, Productivity metrics in the context of knowledge work: literature vs practice, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management 17 (2022) 3030–3055.
20. B. Al-Dabbagh, E. Scornavacca, A. Sylvester, D. Johnstone, The effect of ICT self-discipline in the workplace, ACIS 2015 Proceedings - 26th Australasian Conference on Information Systems (2015) 1–13.
21. M. Palvalin, What matters for knowledge work productivity?, Employee Relations 41 (2019) 209–227.
22. T.A. O’neill, L.A. Hambley, N.S. Greidanus, R. Macdonnell, T.J.B. Kline, Predicting teleworker success: An exploration of personality, motivational, situational, and job characteristics, New Technol Work Employ 24 (2009) 144–162.
23. T.A. Beauregard, K.A. Basile, E. Canonico, Telework: Outcomes and facilitators for employees, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2019.
24. M. Gamal Aboelmaged, S. Mohamed el Subbaugh, Factors influencing perceived productivity of Egyptian teleworkers: An empirical study, Measuring Business Excellence 16 (2012) 3–22.
25. N.J. van Eck, L. Waltman, Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping, Scientometrics 84 (2010) 523–538.
26. Manningtyas, R. D. T., & Furuya, K. (2020). Trends and hot topics in green open space and ecological wisdom research. Communications in Science and Technology, 5(2), 98-106.
27. R. Whittemore, K. Knafl, The integrative review: updated methodology, Methodological Issues in Nursing Research 52 (2005) 546–553.
28. N. van der Meulen, P. van Baalen, E. van Heck, Please, do not disturb. Telework, distractions, and the productivity of the knowledge worker, Thirty Third International Conference on Information Systems, Orlando 2012 5 (2012) 4509–4519.
29. J.F. Hair, R.E. Anderson, R.L. Tatham, W.C. Black, Análisis multivariante, 5ed ed., Prentice Hall Madrid, Madrid, 1999.
30. H. Rusell Bernard, Research Methods in Anthropology. Qualitative and Cuantitative Approaches, 4ed ed., Altamira Press, United States of America, 2006.
31. M. Palvalin, What matters for knowledge work productivity?, Employee Relations 41 (2019) 209–227.
32. D.E. Bailey, N.B. Kurland, A review of telework research: findings, new directions, and lessons for the study of modern work, J Organ Behav 23 (2002) 383–400.
33. T.D. Golden, J.F. Veiga, R.N. Dino, The Impact of Professional Isolation on Teleworker Job Performance and Turnover Intentions: Does Time Spent Teleworking, Interacting Face-to-Face, or Having Access to Communication-Enhancing Technology Matter?, Journal of Applied Psychology 93 (2008) 1412–1421.
34. B. Wang, Y. Liu, J. Qian, S.K. Parker, Achieving Effective Remote Working During the COVID?19 Pandemic: A Work Design Perspective, Applied Psychology 70 (2021) 16–59.
35. T.D. Allen, T.D. Golden, K.M. Shockley, How effective is telecommuting? Assessing the status of our scientific findings, Psychological Science in the Public Interest 16 (2015) 40–68.
36. P. Pyöriä, Managing telework: risks, fears and rules, Management Research Review 34 (2011) 386–399.
37. S. Tangen, Demystifying productivity and performance, Int. J. of Productivity and Performance Management 54 (2005) 34–46.
38. L.M. de Menezes, C. Kelliher, Flexible working and performance: A systematic review of the evidence for a business case, International Journal of Management Reviews 13 (2011) 452–474.
39. M. Solís, Moderators of telework effects on the work-family conflict and on worker performance, European Journal of Management and Business Economics 26 (2017) 21–34.
40. B. Al-Dabbagh, E. Scornavacca, A. Sylvester, D. Johnstone, The effect of ICT self-discipline in the workplace, ACIS 2015 Proceedings - 26th Australasian Conference on Information Systems (2015) 1–13.
41. R. Torten, C. Reaiche, Ervin.L. Caraballo, Teleworking in the new milleneum, The Journal of Developing Areas 50 (2016) 317–326.
42. O. Turetken, A. Jain, B. Quesenberry, O. Ngwenyama, An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Individual and Work Characteristics on Telecommuting Success, IEEE Trans Prof Commun 54 (2011) 56–67.
43. T.J. George, L.E. Atwater, D. Maneethai, J.M. Madera, Supporting the productivity and wellbeing of remote workers: Lessons from COVID-19, Organ Dyn 51 (2022) 100869.
44. D. Smite, A. Tkalich, N.B. Moe, E. Papatheocharous, E. Klotins, M.P. Buvik, Changes in perceived productivity of software engineers during COVID-19 pandemic: The voice of evidence, Journal of Systems and Software 186 (2022) 111197.
45. A. Nakrošien?, I. Bu?i?nien?, B. Goštautait?, Working from home: characteristics and outcomes of telework, Int J Manpow 40 (2019) 87–101.
46. E. Baker, G.C. Avery, J. Crawford, Satisfaction and Perceived Productivity when Professionals Work From Home, Research and Practice in Human Resource Management 15 (2007) 37–62.
47. E. Glenn Dutcher, The effects of telecommuting on productivity: An experimental examination. The role of dull and creative tasks, J Econ Behav Organ 84 (2012) 355–363.
48. A. Ahmed, A. Ishaque, T. Nawaz, Y. Ali, F. Hayat, Telecommuting: Impact on productivity of telecommuters, ICMIT 2014 - 2014 IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation and Technology (2014) 187–192.
49. N. Hoornweg, P. Peters, B. van der Heijden, Finding the optimal mix between telework and office hours to enhance employee productivity: A study into the relationship between telework intensity and individual productivity, with mediation of intrinsic motivation and moderation of office hours, Advanced Series in Management 16 (2016) 1–28.
50. T.D. Golden, R.S. Gajendran, Unpacking the Role of a Telecommuter’s Job in Their Performance: Examining Job Complexity, Problem Solving, Interdependence, and Social Support, J Bus Psychol 34 (2018) 55–69.
51. S. Kazekami, Mechanisms to improve labor productivity by performing telework, Telecomm Policy 44 (2020) 101868.
52. J. Kasemsukprakarn, K. Dowpiset, A Study of Factors Relating to Perceived Teleworking Productivity of Telework Employees in Co-Working Space at Pathumwan Area and Watthana Area in Bangkok, Thailand, Rajapark Journal 14 (2020) 223–237.
53. P.M. Bosch-Sijtsema, V. Ruohomäki, M. Vartiainen, Knowledge work productivity in distributed teams, Journal of Knowledge Management 13 (2009) 533–546.
54. A.C.G. Bianca, M. Van de Belt, C.P.M. Wilderom, Enabling performance measurement in a small professional service firm, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management 61 (2012) 839–862.
55. E.E. Kossek, B.A. Lautsch, S.C. Eaton, Telecommuting, control, and boundary management: Correlates of policy use and practice, job control, and work-family effectiveness, J Vocat Behav 68 (2006) 347–367.