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How does telework influence the manager-employee relationship?

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  • Claire Dambrin

Abstract

Companies are sometimes reluctant to implement telework in their teams because managers may lose control over their teleworking employees. The question we try to answer in this paper is: Does telework have an impact on the manager-employee relationship and, if so, what sort of impact is it? We first propose a literature review on this theme. We then restitute the empirical results of a case study realised in a salespeople team of home-based teleworkers. Through the analysis of e-mails, in-depth interviews, and direct observation, we show that: telework reduces formal communication between employees and their direct manager while it develops interpretation bias. It facilitates communication between distant hierarchical levels, reducing the importance of professional and social status. Telework increases employees' autonomy towards their manager. One of the only ways for the manager to evaluate teleworkers is to devote their accountability to results. Overall, telework reduces the importance of the manager in the employee’s professional concerns.

Suggested Citation

  • Claire Dambrin, 2004. "How does telework influence the manager-employee relationship?," International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(4), pages 358-374.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijhrdm:v:4:y:2004:i:4:p:358-374
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Palvinder Singh & Rajesh Paleti & Syndney Jenkins & Chandra Bhat, 2013. "On modeling telecommuting behavior: option, choice, and frequency," Transportation, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 373-396, February.
    2. Leclercq-Vandelannoitte, Aurélie, 2021. "“Seeing to be seen”: The manager’s political economy of visibility in new ways of working," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 605-616.
    3. N. Soens & A. De Vos & D. Buyens, 2006. "Explaining company-level influences on individual career choices: towards a transitional career pattern? Evidence from Belgium," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 06/397, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    4. Pavel Stanciu & Daniela Mihaela Neamțu & Iulian Alexandru Condratov & Cristian-Valentin Hapenciuc & Ruxandra Bejinaru, 2023. "Dynamics of Teleworking and Impact on Stakeholders in the Current Pandemic Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, April.
    5. Song, Younghwan & Gao, Jia, 2018. "Does Telework Stress Employees Out? A Study on Working at Home and Subjective Well-Being for Wage/Salary Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 11993, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Carlo Drago & Luisa Errichiello, 2024. "Remote Work admist the Covid-19 outbreak: Insights from an Ensemble Community-Based Keyword Network Analysis," Working Papers 2024.05, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    7. de la Torre-Ruiz, José Manuel & Ferrón-Vílchez, Vera, 2024. "Determinants of managerial perceptions of the impact of telework: The effect of information communication technology support, trust, and frequency of communication," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    8. Francisca Gutiérrez-Crocco & Angel Martin-Caballero & Andrés Godoy, 2024. "The Impact of Remote Work on Managerial Compliance: Changes in the Control Regime over Line Managers," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 38(2), pages 527-548, April.
    9. Chandra, Shalini & Shirish, Anuragini & Srivastava, Shirish C., 2020. "Theorizing technological spatial intrusion for ICT enabled employee innovation: The mediating role of perceived usefulness," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    10. François-Xavier de Vaujany & Aurélie Leclercq Vandelannoitte & Iain Munro & Yesh Nama & Robin Holt, 2021. "Control and Surveillance in Work Practice: Cultivating Paradox in ‘New’ Modes of Organizing," Post-Print hal-03268925, HAL.
    11. Iulia BURLAC & Adeline MBEY SENDEGUE, 2024. "The Support of Human Resources Department to Evaluate Business Performance within beyond COVID-19 Crisis," Management and Economics Review, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 9(1), pages 104-119, February.
    12. 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).
    13. Younghwan Song & Jia Gao, 2020. "Does Telework Stress Employees Out? A Study on Working at Home and Subjective Well-Being for Wage/Salary Workers," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(7), pages 2649-2668, October.

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