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Managing flexible work arrangements: Teleworking and output controls

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  • Groen, Bianca A.C.
  • van Triest, Sander P.
  • Coers, Michael
  • Wtenweerde, Neeke

Abstract

Flexible work arrangements present managers with challenges regarding how to manage employees using these arrangements. To date, little research has investigated how managers address these challenges. We investigate the relationship between the use of a specific implementation of flexible work (teleworking) and control system design, specifically the emphasis on output controls. Teleworking reduces the feasibility of monitoring employee behaviour as a control mechanism. Control theory suggests that this might be compensated by placing more emphasis on output controls. We conduct a survey (N = 897) among employees of a financial services institution, of whom 69% is allowed to telework. We find that among teleworking employees, the share of teleworking hours is positively related to the emphasis on output controls. However, employees who are allowed to telework report less emphasis on output controls by their manager relative to those not allowed to telework. We pose various directions for future research, which may help in explaining these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Groen, Bianca A.C. & van Triest, Sander P. & Coers, Michael & Wtenweerde, Neeke, 2018. "Managing flexible work arrangements: Teleworking and output controls," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 727-735.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:36:y:2018:i:6:p:727-735
    DOI: 10.1016/j.emj.2018.01.007
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    Cited by:

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    10. Beham, Barbara & Baierl, Andreas & Eckner, Janin, 2020. "When does part-time employment allow managers with family responsibilities to stay on the career track? A vignette study among German managers," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 580-590.
    11. Asmussen, Katherine E. & Mondal, Aupal & Bhat, Chandra R. & Pendyala, Ram M., 2023. "On modeling future workplace location decisions: An analysis of Texas employees," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    12. Syed Abdul Rehman Khan & Danish Iqbal Godil & Munaza Bibi & Zhang Yu & Syed Muhammad Ahsan Rizvi, 2021. "The Economic and Social Impact of Teleworking in Romania: Present Practices and Post Pandemic Developments," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(58), pages 787-787, August.
    13. Kawaguchi, Daiji & Motegi, Hiroyuki, 2021. "Who can work from home? The roles of job tasks and HRM practices," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    14. Mabel Andalon & Matthew Jones, 2022. "A simple model of working from home," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 25(2), pages 193-214.
    15. Luiz Antonio Joia & Lineu Fachin Leonardo, 2023. "The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Digital Transformation of Workplace: The Social Representation of Home-Office," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-20, October.
    16. Lill, Jeremy B., 2020. "When the Boss is far away and there is shared pay: The effect of monitoring distance and compensation interdependence on performance misreporting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    17. Konstantina Ragazou & Ioannis Passas & Georgios Sklavos, 2022. "Investigating the Strategic Role of Digital Transformation Path of SMEs in the Era of COVID-19: A Bibliometric Analysis Using R," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.
    18. Janusz Rymaniak & Katarzyna Lis & Vida Davidavičienė & Manuela Pérez-Pérez & Ángel Martínez-Sánchez, 2021. "From Stationary to Remote: Employee Risks at Pandemic Migration of Workplaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-25, June.
    19. Müller, Monika & Huber, Christian & Messner, Martin, 2019. "Meaningful work at a distance: A case study in a hospital," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 719-729.
    20. Teresa Cuerdo-Vilches & Miguel Ángel Navas-Martín & Ignacio Oteiza, 2021. "Working from Home: Is Our Housing Ready?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-28, July.
    21. Krzysztof Kubiak & Agata Branowska, 2021. "The Concept of Improvements in Management of Public Administration Officials Working from Home in Selected Educational Units," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 5), pages 257-268.
    22. Emilio Bisetti & Benjamin Tengelsen & Ariel Zetlin‐Jones, 2022. "Moral Hazard In Remote Teams," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 63(4), pages 1595-1623, November.
    23. Oksana Tokarchuk & Roberto Gabriele & Giorgio Neglia, 2021. "Teleworking during the Covid-19 Crisis in Italy: Evidence and Tentative Interpretations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-11, February.
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