Working From Home
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QUEEN MARGARET UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND MANAGEMENT M ANAGEMENT
MBA Dissertation
"Working from Home a Social Phenomenon An investigation into the role of technology to the success of home-based Tele-working"
By BINNIES P. CHACKO
Matriculation Number: 09005939 th
9 September 2011
"Working from Home a Social Phenomenon An investigation into the role of technology to the success of home-based Tele-working"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I like to acknowledge my gratitude to my Supervisor Ms Majella Sweeney for her guidance and feedback throughout the research and Mr. Mike Pretious for his support. I wish to appreciate and thank all the research participants who contributed towards the completion for this research I want to thank my parents Rev P.A. Chacko and Mrs Aleyamma Chacko for their prayerful support and my sisters Grace and Glory who have been a constant encouragement.
ABSTRACT
Tele-working and the role of technology in the success and development of working from home initiative is the area of research. Though Tele-working is cost effective and improves the productivity and employee satisfaction there is sluggishness in the embracement of the initiative. The research focuses on how the Technology plays a vital role especially the role of wireless technology in the success of Tele-working. Management issues are included in the study to comprehend the pros and cons of the management perceptions and the change needed for the effectiveness of Tele-work implementation. Requirement of effectual policies and procedures are discussed as well as the job description with detailed description of roles and responsibilities which will contribute in the productivity and will help in i n identifying the Tele-workers boundaries and expectations. Researcher has used the mixed method of research approach in order to achieve the realistic outcomes that will appropriate findings. Survey questionnaires are used to gather the research data and are quantified to analyse the quantitative data. Also the semi structured interview was conducted with Tele-working team leaders to absorb the understanding of management challenges and effectiveness of Tele-working within the spectrum of their experiences. Tele-work is the future of employment, however not all the jobs can be performed by working from home but a great number of jobs can be performed from home or a remote location thus help coping with the challenges of Socio-Ecological predicaments. Also Teleworking can be a great social tool in combating the natural disasters and emergency situations. There are still further areas of research identified.
Table of Contents
COVER TITLE PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURE LIST OF ABBREVIATION
12 3 4 5 7 7 8
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
9
1.1 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK 1.2 RESEARCH RATIONAL
10 11
1.3 AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS QUESTIONS 1.5 OUTLINES OF THIS RESEARCH STUDY
12 12 12
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
14
2.1 INTRODUCTION 2.2 BACKGROUND TO TELE-WORKING APPROACH 2.3 TELE-WORKING TELE-WORKING 2.4 TELE-WORKING AND TECHNOLOGY 2.4.1 INTERNET 2.4.2 REMOTE ACCESS 2.4.3 MOBILE TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY 2.4.4 RECENT TECHNOLOGIES TECHNOLOGIES
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
2.4.4.1 DESKTOP DESKTOP VIRTUALIZATION VIRTUALIZATION 2.4.4.2 CLOUD COMPUTING 2.5 TELE-WORKING AS AN EMERGENCY ALTERNATE 2.6 RISING FIGURES OF TELE-WORKERS IN UNITED KINGDOM 2.7 TELE-WORKING AND PERSONAL LIFE BALANCE 2.8 TELE-WORKING AND MANAGEMENT 2.9 OBSTACLES IN TELE-WORKING INITIATIVE 2.10 ADVANTAGES OF TELE-WORKING 2.10.11 ADVANTAGES FROM THE TELE-WORKER’S STANDPOINT 2.10. 2.10.22 DISADVANTAGES FROM THE TELE-WORKER’S 2.10. TELE-WORKER’ S STANDPOINT 2.10.33 ADVANTAGES FROM THE BUSINESS ORGANISATION’S STANDPOINT 2.10. 2.10.44 DISADVANTAGES FROM THE BUSINESS ORGANISATION’S STANDPOINT 2.10. 2.11 CONCLUSION CONCLUSION
20 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 28 29 30 32 33
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
34
3.1 INTRODUCTION 3.2 RESEARCH PARADIGMS 3.3 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.3.1 STRENGTH AND LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
34 35 35 37
3.4 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.4.1 STRENGTH AND LIMITATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS 3.5 RATIONAL FOR ADOPTING THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.6 RESEARCH METHODS 3.7 PRIMARY DATA 3.7.1 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE 3.7.2 SEMI-STRUCTURED SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW 3.8 SECONDARY DATA 3.9 CONCLUSION CONCLUSION
38 39 40 41 42 42 42 43 44
CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
45
4.1 INTRODUCTION 4.2 RESEARCH POPULATION AT A GLANCE
45 47
4.3 ANALYSIS OF SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES 4.4 SEMI-STRUCTURED SEMI-STRUCTURE D INTERVIEW 4.4.1 ANALYSIS OF SEMI STRUCTURED INTERVIEW 4.4.2 DISCUSSION OF THE SEMI STRUCTURE INTERVIEW 4.5 CONCLUSION CONCLUSION
49 66 66 69 69
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 THE FUTURE TELE-WORKING 5.2 TELE-WORKING AND THE IMPEDIMENTS 5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH 5.4 CONCLUSION CONCLUSION CHAPTER 6 REFERENCES
APPENDICES APPENDIX A1 – LETTER FOR SURVEY PARTICIPANTS APPENDIX A2 – QUESTIONNIAIRE CONSOLIDATED RESULTS APPENDIX B- SEMI STRUCTURED INTERVIEW – LETTERS TO INTERVIEWEES INTERVIE WEES APPENDIX B-1 INTERVIEW RESPONSE ON INTERVIEWEE A APPENDIX B-2 INTERVIEW RESPONSE ON INTERVIEWEE B
70
70 71 73 73 75
83 83 84 87 88 89
TABLES AND FIGURES Table 4.1: Number of Responses from Survey Questionnaire Table 4.2: Respondents of the Survey (Male Female Participation) Table 4.3 Survey Questionnaire Results (A) Table 4.3 Survey Questionnaire Results (B) Table 4.3 Survey Questionnaire Results (C) Table 4.4.1: Tele-working Experience - Gender based Comparison Table 4.4.2: Availability of Internet access Table 4.4.3: Internet connections used by Tele-workers Table 4.4.4: Devices used for Tele-working Table 4.4.5: Preferred Programs used by Tele-workers for communication Table 4.4.6: Programmes for accessing and transferring the files Table 4.4.7: Tele-Working and Tele-worker’s productivity Table 4.4.8: Tele-working and Job satisfaction Table 4.9: Adaptation and transition from one technology to the advanced technology Table 4.10: Wireless Technology and Tele-working Table 4.11: Willingness to Tele-work in future Table 4.12: Tele-working and interference with personal Life Table 4.13: Tele-working and Personal Life Table 4.14: Tele-working and opportunity to pursue personal interests outside work Table 4.15: Flexibility and Autonomy in Tele-working
46 46 48 48 49 49 51 52 53 54 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
Figure 2 (a): Virtual Office Connectivity, Tele-working and Technology Figure 2 (b): Desktop Virtualization Figure 2 (c): Cloud Computing Figure 2 (d): Rising figures of Tele-workers in United Kingdom Figure 2 (e): Advantages and Disadvantages from the Tele-workers standpoint Figure 2 (f): Advantages and Disadvantages from the Business Organisation’s standpoint
18 20 21 24 29 31
Figure 4.2 - Respondents of the Survey (Male Female Participation) Figure 4.4.1- Tele-working Experience - Gender based Comparison Figure 4.4.2: Availability of Internet access Figure 4.4.3: Internet connections used by Tele-workers
46 50 51 52
Figure for Tele-working Figure 4.4.4: 4.4.5: Devices Preferredused Programs used by Tele-workers for communication Figure 4.4.6: Programmes for accessing and transferring the files Figure 4.4.7: Tele-Working and Tele-worker’s productivity Figure 4.4.8: Tele-working and Job satisfaction Figure 4.9: Adaptation & transition from one technology to the advanced technology Figure 4.10: Wireless Technology and Tele-working Figure 4.11: Willingness to Tele-work in future Figure 4.12: Tele-working and interference with personal Life Figure 4.13: Tele-working and Personal Life Figure 4.14: Tele-working and opportunity to pursue personal interests outside work Figure 4.15: Flexibility and Autonomy in Tele-working
53 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE DISSERTATION
DSL
-
Digital Subscriber Line
DTI
-
Department of Trade and Industry
FTP
-
File Transfer Protocol
ICT
-
Information and communications technology
ISDN
-
Integrated Services Digital Network
ISP
-
Internet Service Provider
ITAC
-
International Tele-work Association and Council
ONS
-
Office for National Statistics
SME
-
Subject Matter Experts
SSL
-
Secure Sockets Layer
VoIP
-
Voice over Internet Protocol
VPN
-
Virtual Private Network
WAN
-
Wide Area Network
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Tele-working has been revolutionised by the technological advancement which enables and facilitates the staff with the flexibility and options of alternative work environments and possibilities with advanced and improved means of communications and file transfer protocols. Tele-working is an initiative wherein the staff member works from a remote location enjoying the flexibility of operational hours and site (Vega 2003). The task is carried out by the staff by replacing the requirement of travelling by the technological means of telecommunication and computer with the help of internet connectivity. The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) is widely seen in Tele-working which involves the handling of exchange of electronic information in digital format. This makes the transfer of information and the completed task faster and efficiently with the help of technological advancement. In this section of the research the researcher will delve into the details of the history of Tele-working, Emergence and the grounds for the implementation of Tele-working, the transitions Tele-working has come through and also the social change Teleworking has brought through the advancement of the technology. The term Tele-working or Telecommuting was first used by Jack Nellies in 1973, who is also known as the father of Tele-working (JALA 2011). Tele-working is also considered to be the Management by Objectives style of management (Drucker 2007). Therefore it can c an be said that T Tele-work ele-work is the use telecommunication and internet enabled devices in order eliminate the travelling involved to accomplish the work (Nillies 1998). This initiative is highly cost effective and has proved to be very effectual in increasing the productivity of the staff, enhances staff contentment and staff retention. It causes a great and
steady diminution in the sick leaves among the Tele-working staffs (PRNewswire 2011). Since the travelling is reduced Tele-work helps in reducing the environmental impacts caused by the carbon emissions (Stuart 2008). A great amount of increase is witnessed in the field of Tele-working in the past few decades (Smith 2011). There are many factors that have caused the rise to the Tele-working trend among the professionals. The availability of technologically advanced equipments that is available at affordable prices. Availability of communication systems and technologies which are free or very affordable, mobile technologies that allows the professionals to work while on the move and the flexibility and change in the management style has contributed to the appreciation of the Tele-workers. Working from home or Teleworking also reduces or eliminates the requirement of the journey thus reducing the risk of pollution and congestion. Studying the possibilities of working from home or the remote places is an advantage for the people working mainly in the sector of Information Technology. Hence the possibility of Tele-working can be attributed to the technological advancement made available by the enhancement in the fields of telecommunications and the internet technologies have made this an absolute a bsolute possibility.
1.1 Research Framework Working from Home or Tele-working has been carefully reviewed and examined in the real operational situations and has been found to be positive in many senses. There has been many technological advances that has made Tele-working more effective such as the Virtual Private Networks (VPN), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Internet, Intranet, Voice Over Protocol (VOIP), Video Conferencing, Voice Chat and text chatting that helps the organization to get connected with Tele-workers in the remote location virtually. Concerns that gave thought to
this alternative working initiative were a list of factors such as environmental and ecological reasons, infrastructural reasons, cost effectiveness, decentralisation of operations, flexibility working conditions conditions and off shoring etc. Tele-working cannot be generalised to all the occupation and professions as the not all the tasks can be performed from remote location hence this pattern is viable for those who are engaged with responsibilities which involves analysis of data, writing and reviewing of documents, grants, proposals, reports, regulations, course planning; roles of customer or project support through telephones, chats and emails and computer based jobs such as software programming, designing, word processing etc.
1.2 Research Rational The researcher’s intension is to underpin the part played by the technological and its advancement in the expansion and successful increase of Tele-working. Also to understand the changing trend of working from remote location and how this trend is socially being accepted and the change in the management approaches and the policies adopted by the organisations that leads to the successful implementation of working from home initiative. A research survey is intended to be organised in Spitfire Studios in London. The offices in the Spitfire studios office complex include diverse operational businesses that primarily require Technology for the accomplishment of the projects or the assignments. A questionnaire is designed to get the responses from the research participants that draws the conclusion and directs to the aims and objectives of the research. Semi structured Interviews are also planned with the managers of two companies to understand the underlying technical, operational and management aspects of Tele-working.
1.3 Aims & Objectives of this Research 1. To evaluate and analyse the implications of Technology in the expansion and advancement of the home based Tele-working. 2. To analyse the role of wireless technology in the success of Tele-working 3. To investigate the implication of management issues with the Tele-workers in terms of Supervision and appraisal.
1.4 Research Questions 1. Does Technology have a role in the advancement of the home based Tele-working? 2. In what ways the wireless technology has proven to be an advantage for the Teleworking? 3. What are means of resolving the management challenges in relation to the Teleworkers?
1.5 Outlines of this Research Study The research is organised in the following structures as follows; Chapter 1 deals with the Introduction of the research wherein the researcher discusses the research topic and states the aims and objectives of the research and also posts the research questions that is aimed to conclude this research with the findings. A brief framework of the research is provided along with the research rational.
Chapter 2 deals with the critical review of the available literature on the different aspects of the Tele-working in order to understand the previous researched made under this topic. The works reviewed include the published books on Tele-working, articles published in journals, news articles and reports of the companies that have adopted Tele-working and work from home option. Chapter 3: In chapter 3 the researcher discusses the methodology adopted to undertake and research and also the various paradigms and approaches are examined. Methods of data collection are explained by highlighting the sample research population, reliability and validity of the data is discussed. Researcher also explains the reason of selecting the methodology. Chapter 4: This chapter informs the findings and discussions of the research. All the collected data from research survey is converted into quantitative data and is represented in graphical format. The presentation and analysis of the collected data is presented here with the help of tables and graphs. The results of the semi structured interview is also analysed and compared to get the outcome of the interview. Chapter 5: deals with the research outcome and the synthesis of the findings from reviewed literature and the survey and semi structured interview. Researcher also recommends the possible areas of research.
CHAPTER 2 Literature Review
2.1
Introduction
In this chapter researcher presents a critical review of the collected literature published by subject experts, text books of academicians, the research papers by the researchers, and journal articles by experts and critics on the topic of working from home a social phenomenon, an investigation into the role of Technology to the success of home-based Teleworking. News articles were also reviewed to see the changing trends and the impact of Technology in the expansions and developments in Tele-working. The Literature review will look into the functionality of Tele-working, responses of Tele-workers and the Organizations, Technological advancements, government’s initiative and involvement in the development of Tele-working. The review of the literature will narrate to the research aims & objectives and the formulated research questions in chapter 1 by analysing the impact wireless technology in the growth of Tele-commuting and the management challenges of supervision and appraisal. The researcher discusses the term of Tele-worker and Tele-commuting and also discusses the definition and explores the various aspects and areas of Tele-working and the Technologies exclusively used by the individuals while working from home or a remote location. The researcher also reviews the literature to explore the management issues with the supervision and the apprehensions of the management and the Tele-workers and also investigated into the emotional and career balance of the Tele-workers.
2.2
Background to Tele-working Approach
Tele-work practice has been operational for last 5 decades however there is still no particular definition laid for the term Tele-work or Tele-working. A general understanding about the Tele-work is an initiative wherein the worker accomplishes his or her task from their homes or a remote location (Beasley 2000). Jack Nellies who is also called the father of Telecommuting is the one who first used the term “Tele-work” and “Telecommuting”, according to him substituting the need of travelling for work with IT and Telecommunication devices (Ellison 2003). Tele-working in UK w was as first witnessed during 60 60ss when Freelance International started the freelance project of software programming; chiefly women Teleworkers were the working from home (Korte and Wynne 1996). Many of the Tele-working pilots and initiative were taken by big corporations and business organizations. In 1979 the Telecom Department of France successfully experiment Tele-working (Monod 1983) and IBM experimented with allowing their employees to work from home (Olsen 1985). These initiatives from the major corporation motivated many other business organizations and corporations to start Tele-working experimentation within their operations.
The 80s saw the beginning of acceleration in the Tele-working initiative in Europe however the researchers saw it as an era of testing with uncertainty (Johnston 1994). There were prominent companies that decisively started to experiment the Tel-work operation within their businesses. In 1981 there were eleven e leven companies that introduced Tele-working as part of their operational strategy (Pratt 1983) and Xerox’s United Kingdom operation initiated the Teleworking pilot project in 1982. The other sector that experimented with Tele-working initiative was the Banking and Insurance sector (Kelly 1984, pp. 48). Department of Trade and Industry
piloted a project for disabled people to work from home using a microcomputer which became a big success, this initiative was later taken over by Manpower Services Commission (Korte and Wynne 1996)
2.3
Tele-working
Tele-working was the term first introduced by Jack Nellies in 1973 (JALA), Nellies has differentiated Tele-working and Telecommuting differently by defining the two terminologies which gives us a clear understanding of the usage as well as it help us in the research ahead. There are many other words suggestively used for working away from the traditional work place. The other words used are: Telecommuting, Flexible Work place, Remote working, Mobile work, Definition of Tele-working: “Tele-working ANY form of substitution of
information technologies (such as telecommunications and/or computers) for normal work-related travel; moving the work to the workers instead of moving the workers to work”. (JALA 2011) Tele-working defines by Cambridge Dictionary [Online]: “the activity of
working at home, while communicating with your office by telephone, fax or computer”. (Cambridge 2011) Definition of Telecommuting: “Periodic work out of the principal office, one
or more days per week, either at home, a client's site, or in a Tele-work centre; the partial or total substitution of information technologies for the commute to work. The emphasis here is on reduction or elimination e limination of the daily commute to and from the workplace. Telecommuting is a form of Tele-working.” (JALA 2011) Definition of Flexible Work place: “Work practice (explained by the employer
in employment policies and contracts) that allows the employees a certain degree of freedom in deciding how the work will be done and how they'll coordinate their schedules with those of other employees. The employer sets certain limits such as minimum and maximum number of hours of work every
day, and the core time during which all employees must be present.” (Business Dictionary 2011) Definition of Mobile Working: the employees those who, “perform their work
in multiple locations such as customer sites, company offices, their homes, vendor offices, planes, and hotels” (Richman, Noble, and Johnson, 2002, p. 9).” Definition of Remote Working: the employees those who, “perform their work
from home full-time, although they may occasionally occasionally go into a company office” (Richman, Noble, and Johnson, 2002, p. 9)
Tele-work is substituting the need of travelling to and from the office for accomplishing the assigned work rather completing the task from home or a remote location using the technological devices and tools. Tele-working is the flexibility given by the employer to work from a location different from the operational office with the help of technical tools and the access to the required information online. This is what gives liberty to the Tele-worker to function as virtually in the office when the individual has access to the secured areas as other employees.
2.4
Tele-working and Technology
There are many technologies found as contributing to the development and widened possibilities which made the Tele-working a possibility. Some of the prominent technologies that always have been referred Virtual Private Network (VPN), Intranet, Wide Area Network (WAN), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Broadband and Wireless Technology, Smartphone, Laptop (Ann 2008). 2008). These are the impor important tant tools and technologies that the Tele-workers prominently use. The technological advancements that supports the Tele-workers is backed by
the Information and communications technology that helps individuals to work using the same platform from different places at different time zones (Jessup and Robey, 2002). According to Robert Morgan the technological advancement helps in enhancing the smooth operations of Tele-working by providing the needful access and connectivity to the individuals beyond the business hours thus allowing the organizations to be competitive and profitable (Morgan 2004). Availability of the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) is instant as everyone is online thus making the possibility of speedy responses and virtual teams of experts can be formed to benefit the Tele-workers and the office workers for the consultation (Furnham 2000). Tele-working by utilising the available advanced technology and the technological devices can bring about a huge variety of advantages to both the Tele-workers and the organization by implementing the work from home initiative thus utilising the full potential the Tele-working has to offer.
2.4.1 Internet: Internet is the network that connects the all the computers around the world
Figure 2 (a): Virtual Office Connectivity, Tele-working and Technolog Technologyy
connected to the network. Merriam Webster defines Internet as – “ an electronic communications network that connects computer networks and organizational computer facilities around the world ” (Merriam Webster 2011).
There has been a significant improvement in the way internet has been accessed. The changes from dial up internet connection to DSL and now to broadband connection has seen a drastic change, wherein Wireless broadband has added a greater impact on the Tele-working as whole (Athow 2006). Internet is the fundamental layer on which the entire technological infrastructure is operational thus all the Tele-working operational tools or devices operate on one technology that is Internet.
2.4.2 Remote Access: Remote access is the term used for the technical capability of a
computer to interact with the networks to exchange information from a remote location or the capability of accessing the organization's electronic resources from a remote location or home using the technological devices outside the physical perimeter of the office. This technology is useful for individuals on the move, Tele-workers and officials from offshore locations who have the requirement to access information and important files from the main office (Boldwyn et al 2000). The Tele-workers get the connected to the network of the main office through the Internet Service Provider’s network. Traditionally the remote access was established esta blished using the dial up service and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) which with the means of a wired connection, however with the technological development faster mode of connections like cable modem, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and Wireless technologies.
2.4.3 Mobile Technology: Mobile Technology as the name suggests is
technology that
can be operated and used on the go. The machine machiness categorised categorised under under mobil mobil technologies are thos thosee dev devic ices es that that ar aree por porta ta le and wireless wireless and and communicatio communication n technolog technology enabled. These devices are highly useful for working from home or while on jo jou urney. ey. Increasing number of wire wireles lesss hot hot-s -spo pots ts en enab able less t e individuals wishing to work from remote l cations in public spaces as well. The new techn technolog ology y seen introdu introduced ced recen recently tly is th
named “Cloud
Computing” this enables the individuals to saves their files and reports in he internet space whic wh ich h can can avoi avoid d th thee ca carr rry yi g of extra storage devices thus helping the
ele-workers and
workers on the move to be ef ective (Business Link 2011). 2011).
2.4.4 Recent Technolo ies 2. 2.4. 4.4. 4.1 1 Desk Deskto top p Virt Virtua uali liza zati tion: De Desk skto top p Vir irtu tual aliz izat atio ion n is the the recen entt dev evel elo opment introduced
in the the mar marke kett for for the the work work rs on the the move move whic which h enab enables les th thee Tele Tele-w -wor or er to access the information from anywhere nd anytime with added security features and ost effectiveness also called as Cl Client Virtuali ation (Lamb 2009, pp 95-97).
Figure 2 (b): Desktop Virtualization
The desktop or the client virtualization technology permits the access of
irtual system by
authorised users from their erso ersonal nal computers, computers, laptops, laptops, or portable portable devices to the centrally placed server. The authorise clients might be accessing from the different arts of the world and can be connected to the entr entral ally ly loca locate ted d ser serv vers ers by by tthe he netw networ ork k con conne necctions available to them such as WAN, LAN or Intern Internet et connectivity connectivity.. This offers high high level o flexibility to the authorised user in accessing the personal desktop and network from any approved device (Microsoft 2011). This techn log logy wo worrks ef efffec ecti tiv vel ely y wit with h the the wire wirelless ess te tech chn n logy. According to Sudhir Verma this new technology Desktop Virtualization - " ...... offers increased manage man ageabi ability lity,, enhanc enhanced ed data protection, an and new capabilities such as a ywhere, anytime access for Tele-workers," (V ware 2011).
2.4.4.2 Cloud Computing: Cloud computing is delivered to the clients as a facility and not
as a produ product ct which which include includes computing, computing, mandatory supporting software software, access to data, stor storin ing g spac spacee etc etc fo forr whi which ch the clients are required to have the operational knowledge of the Cloud Computing and infor ation of the where about of the hardware ( tevens and Pettey
Figure 2 (c): Cloud Computing
2008). This is very user friendly as the services are provided to the clients externally through
internet and are operated on the Web Browsers while the main software and the data is saved on the Server in an offshore location. The Cloud computing offers the data storage and processing capacity thus becoming a one stop consultation for all the computing requirements for the clients (Weiss 2007). The use of Cloud computing is highly encouraged by the corporations as this reduces the cost of IT infrastructure and enabling them to use the advanced infrastructure at a comparatively low cost (Boardman 2011). This technology offers flexibility and being cost effective has potential to attract the small and medium businesses (Microsoft 2009).
2.5
Tele-working as an Emergency Alternate
Tele-working can be an implementation as an emergency operational alternate for the organizations in the time of natural disasters and civil unrest. Thus the security of the staff is ensured as they are working from home as well as the productivity of the organization is guaranteed. Hence flexi work place can be viewed as an effective strategy for the flexi work place as well as a crisis response (Joice 2000). The increase of demand for the role of support services for its work from home initiative was seen on a rise in the Japanese Telecommunication company following the earthquake in Japan (Fitzpatrick 2011). This is viewed as a strategy by the businesses in Japan due to the infrastructural crisis following the natural disaster (Fitzpatrick 2011). Considerations are shown for the clause to be added in the employment agreement of utilizing the Tele-workers during the crisis and emergency situations in order to keep the operation functioning while the corporate office is not operational (HR Focus 2011). Apart from being a catalyst in the continuation of operations
they can also can be used as the primary response unit in the time of disaster and emergencies assisting the government and communities (Online Exclusive 2011). In the United States a designated person needs to be the leader for the Tele-working programme who is required to assist in carrying on the emergency facilitation in the course of disaster or emergency (Long 2011). Gerry Connolly states that the - " Tele-work improves recruitment and retention, improves emergency response preparedness, and saves taxpayer money. We just had another snow event in late January where Tele-working enabled thousands of Federal employees to keep working even when roads were covered in ice and snow" (Global Warming Focus 2011).
John Berry the director of the Office of Personal Management (OPM) proposed to offer direction on incorporating Tele-work as part of the crisis management during the times of emergency (Newell 2010).
2.6
Rising figures of Tele-workers in United Kingdom
There has been a significant growth noticed in the trend of working from home among the work force in United Kingdom. The number of Tele-workers has grown seen a tremendous growth of almost two folds in the last decade due to the advancement of the technology (BBC 2005). Ulrike also contributes this momentous growth to the role of technology played in the increased demand of Tele-working (Hotopp 2002). According the Labour Force Survey (LFS) the number of the Tele-workers have grown from 4% in 1997 to 8% of the total working population in United Kingdom by 2005, there was a tremendous growth of among the Teleworkers wherein the percentage of the Tele-workers grew from 41% in 1997 to 78% in 2005 (Ruiz and Walling 2005). There is undoubtedly an increase in the number of Tele-workers as
represented in statistics of ONS that shows the increase in the working from home initiative among the work force thus totalling the number of Tele-workers 5 million (BBC, 2011).
Figure 2 (d): Rising figures of Tele-workers in United Kingdom Data Source: Source: Adapted from from Labour F Force orce Survey (LFS) (LFS)
There is an ascendant movement in the Tele-working initiative among both the genders however interestingly the number of male Tele-workers is higher than the female Teleworkers (Ruiz and Walling Walling 2005). 65% of the Tele-workers were noticed to be male Teleworkers as opposed to the whole Tele-working community as per the Labour Force Survey (BBC 2002). The accessibility to the internet service is also a major cause for the increase in the number of Tele-workers with in UK ( Bertin and Denbigh 2003). Tele-workers rely on the internet to perform their day to day job and most of the applications used by them are web based which is accessed through internet with the help internet browsers, the web based communication requires internet for using the program (BBC 2007). Majority of the Teleworkers rely on the Technological devices to accomplish their tasks while working from
home (Felstead et al 2000 and Huws et al. 1999). The availability of the Technological infrastructure is required for the successful Tele-working (Hotopp 2002).
According to International Tele-work Association and Council (ITAC) predicted a phenomenal growth in the number of Tele-workers, the estimation was 24 million Teleworkers by 2000 (Wells 2001), however by the 4 th quarter of the 2005 the number of Teleworkers grew to 45 million and the working place was much diverse than the conventional Tele-working which included Aeroplanes, Train, Cars and parks and wireless hotspots (Smith 2005).
2.7
Tele-working and Personal Life Balance
The studies have shown that there are great positive impact on the personal life and work life balance through Tele-working (Maruyama et al, 2009); the study conducted among the Teleworkers of British Telecom 74% of the Tele-workers agreed that Tele-work helps them in maintaining a personal life and work life balance. The control over the working hours was a satisfactory for many of the Tele-workers. Proper time management can help the Teleworkers to have more flexibility which in turn can result in greater job contentment and futuristic commitment to the organization due to the intrinsic satisfaction. This balance also has positive effect on the productivity and efficiency of the Tele-worker. Tele-working also helps in improving the quality of life (Cisco, 2009), this could be due to various reasons such as extra private time, more time for parenting and the evasion of commuting (Hilbrecht et al, 2008). A distinct definition is not available for the Tele-work and Personal Life balance as it
may vary from individual to individual based on their understanding about the topic. The factors leading to Tele-work and personal life balance may differ for each Tele-worker based on their perceptions (Balteo & Heydens-Gahir, 2003). Still there is a an agreement on the fact that the Tele-working does provide a healthy balance due to the recognition of professional sphere and personal life sphere (Aryee et al., 2005; Peeters et al.,2005). Identifying the two spheres and their expectations can lead to a greater balance in the professional and personal spheres. This factor has caused an improvement in the physical health of the Tele-workers (Steward, 2000).
2.8
Tele-working and Management
Managing the Tele-worker has been an area of concern for the managers and supervisors (PYÖRIÄ 2011); this may be due to being distrustful of the Tele-workers or the lack of relevant guidelines and procedures procedures in place that lets the Tele-workers Tele-work Tele-work.. There is also a need of change in the outlook of the management and shift is required from procedure focused management to result focused management (Watad & DiSanzo, 2000, p. 86). The possible reasons of the managers being very reluctant of the change may be due to the apprehension of the unexpected or simply unwilling to succumb to the change in the management style (Leonard, 2001, p. 31). The reluctance in the managers can be due to the fear moderation in the role of people management and diminishing control (Daniels, Lamond, and Standon 2001). This change of management style changes the role from mere monitoring to evaluating and measuring the productivity and quality of the outcome (Mills, 2001). For the effective operation of Tele-working the management and the Tele-workers need to be aware of the objective of the organization. Clear statement of the policies must be in place for reference and the Tele-work must be aware of the policies for better output (Knowledge
2011). The Policy statement must include the role and responsibilities of the managers and the Tele-workers, thus enabling the Tele-workers meeting the requirements and benefiting from the training provided (Peters et al. 2009). Once the Tele-worker is empowered with the training and technological devices they must be evaluated on the productivity and output and thus building up the confidence among the Tele-working staff and the management (Victoria 2011).
2.9
Obstacles in Tele-working Initiative
There are many barriers and obstacles notice in the Tele-working. Max Stier pointed out the need of the system of measuring the purposes, assignments, and results of the Tel-workers. Stier said - "Without a clear understanding of what the objectives are and how to measure them, and how each individual contributes to common c ommon organizational goals, there is no system in place that will allow managers to effectively determine whether someone is doing their job right – this is regardless of whether they are working in their office, at home, or from another remote location," (Stier 2009).
On the other hand the unable to trust the Tele-worker while they are working from home is a factor that plays a negative role in the success or the failure of this initiative (Klie 2008). The mistrust is the underlying issue of the relationship between employee and the manager hence taking steps to build up confidence and improve interactions can be basic ground work leading to an efficient Tele-worker and manager liaison (Kacmar et al 2003; Kim, Ferrin, and Cooper 2004). The psychological pressure generated due due to the lack organizational interface
leading to the concerns among the Tele-workers may result in feeling of seclusion (Kaye, 1992). Hence the organizations must continually strive to keep the Tele-workers in the communication allowing the interaction between the organization and the Tele-workers (Warburton, 1993). Some of the apprehensions that can be caused due to the psychological pressures are concerns about the career advancement (Prieto 1989).
2.10 Advantages of Tele-working There are many advantages of working from home and it may differ from gender to gender and the individuals involved. Out of many advantages of Tele-working Fortin & Dennis and Hamilton exhibit the many advantages and disadvantages of Tele-working from individual’s and Organisation’s stand point (Fortin & Dennis-Escoffier 1986). There is also a view that the Tele-working is more advantageous for the Tele-workers rather than the organization (Pérez et al., 2002). For the better understanding of the topic of Tele-working, researcher critically looked into both the Tele-worker’s and Employer’s perspective keeping the organization’s standpoint of productivity and profitability.
2.10.1 Advantages from the Tele-worker’s standpoint: There are many advantages pointed
out by the researchers from the Tele-worker’s perspective such as Saving the Commuting Time to and from the work place which can be positively used for the productive work at home. Working from home also offers a greater equilibrium in work & family life due to the constant presence within the house. Tele-working helps in the reduction of mandatory expenses such as fuel, parking and reduces the traffic jam on the highways thus contributing
to the environmental protection. This leads to a better management of stress and work atmosphere allowing the Tele-worker to be proactively involved in community activities. While working from home it permits the Tele-worker evasion from office politics and other distraction in the work place by the colleagues. Tele-work makes it possible for the individuals to work from home with health conditions & disabilities engaging them in productive and creative atmosphere. Child care and possibility of working on the move is another great advantage of working from home. Flexibility is the most important aspect of the Tele-working which helps the individuals to be productive and profitable to the organization (Hamilton 1987).
Greater Productivity Personal Life & Professional Life Balance Flexibility
Commuting Time Saved
Better Health
Advantages of Tele-working for Tele-workers
Seclusion from the peers and colleagues
Disadvantages of Tele-working for Tele-workers
Over working
Career Development Prospects
Reduction in mandatory Expenses
Possible deterioration of
Interruptions at home from
Fuel, Parking etc
inter personal skills
visitors & family
Figure 2 (e): Advantages and Disadvantages from the Tele-workers standpoint
2.10.2 Disadvantages from the Tele-worker’s standpoint: There are certain drawbacks of
Tele-working as opposed to the working in a traditional workplace. The Tele-worker while working from home or a remote location will be disconnected from the business operational
environment which results in seclusion from the peers and colleagues. This also reduces the communication with the staff, encouragement and emotional support that is possible when present in the office. While the Tele-worker is away from the office they will always have concerns about their professional progression due to minimal or no involvement in the decision making process. Staying away from the corporate working environment can also weaken the inter-personal skilfulness of individual. There is a great possibility of over working and working beyond the working hours which may lead to the emotional drains due to seclusion and societal contentment. Interruptions at home are greater in comparison to the office; this also tends to lessen the possibility training, development, supervision and advice from the managers and supervisors. It has also been noticed that an impractical expectancy is laid on the Tele-workers due to the fact that they are working from home.
2.10.3 Advantages from the Business Organisation’s standpoint: Tele-working brings a
lot of advantages to the organization. The firm’s savings on the dedicated space to the Teleworkers is an advantage as they are working from home and in the instance of their requirement of coming to office they can use the common space in the office to work with the use of wireless technology thus giving the option of an office that is highly flexible (Robert and Borjesson 2006). However the diminution in operational expenses and flexible can cause a chaos if the Tele-workers are not managed and given a set time to the set group, failure to which will be contributing to operational and productive loss. The flexibility does provide higher level of productivity than compared to the regular office worker (Michie and Sheehan, 2005) though there is more scope of research both on the basis of theory and practice as this is only the flexibility of place of work rather than the time of work as in most of the cases the
work time is fixed hence it is partially flexible. The organization gets better quality and quantity of output from a Tele-worker as they work from a less stress environment due to the higher level of job satisfaction from the workers. There is steady reduction in the absenteeism among the Tele-worker as opposed to the commuting employees (Butler et al 2007), and also lessens the employee turnover which exhibits better quality of work in comparison (Golden, 2006). Tele-working has proven to be an effective strategy in minimising the employee turnover and effective on retention of employees (Silva, 2007). Cost is minimal for the returning Tele-worker in comparison to the recruiting a new staff, this also becomes an easy strategy to retain and reduce the employee turnover, if presented as an alternate option for the retention of the staff thus effectively reducing the rate of attrition. The flexibility of working from home will also enhance the individual Tele-worker’s commitment towards the business organization as well as help reduce absence from work and reduce the infrastructural cost per head (Barth, 2011).
Cost reduction on Infrastructure Compliance with Government Regulations
Productivity Increase in Teleworkers
Advantages of Tele-working for Organization
Productivity Loss
Disadvantages of Tele-working for Organization
Increased expenses on Data Security
Providing Technical Support
Flexibility Reduced Employee Turnover
Connected with peers and Management through Internet
Concerns over Data Protection
Supervision & Monitoring
Figure 2 (f): Advantages and Disadvantages from the Business Organisation’s standpoint
2.10.4 Disadvantages from the Business Organisation’s standpoint: Protection and
privacy of company data and business information is a major area of concern for the organization. However the advanced security systems and Secure Sockets Layers can be effective way to secure the data (Brandstätter 2011), but the threat of sabotage cannot be assured unless the proper measures are taken to have the employee satisfaction and the loyalty towards the organization. These concerns which are raised by the authors are not something that can only be caused by a Tele-worker as the data can be misused by the employee at office as well.
The other disadvantage that has always surfaced when the Tele-work is discussed is the apprehension of the supervision of the worker working from home by the relevant section managers (Warburton, 1993). Productive output of the Tele-workers and setting up deadlines for the completion of task can be an effective way of tackling this apprehension (Victoria 2011). Since the Tele-working is performed with the aid of technical devices and in case of a technical problem resolving is a priority to ensure the productivity of the Tele-worker which is seen as concern as the identifying the problem and troubleshooting has to be done for a remote location. However the assessment and the measurement of the output have not been addressed, which is a key area and by which the output of the Tele-workers can be assessed and motivated and managing them by applying the Management by Objectives style (Drucker 2007, Mills 2001).
2.11 Conclusion Tele-working has been seen as a solution for many issues that corporate and society is facing. The congestion on the roads can be minimised by working from home. Threats can be reduced during national and international events as advised by UK Government to work from home during the 2012 Olympics to avoid journey disarray (BBC 2011). Tele-workers can be utilised effectively during the time of crisis and disaster as they are working from home and can operate safely. Research and policy developments are needed for the greater effectiveness of the operation of Tele-work initiative. Sluggishness in the performance in the Tele-workers can be avoided during the recruitment process by identifying the potential of the prospective Tele-worker. Tele-working must a voluntary option and not a mandatory posting. Proper training and guidance prior to the start of Tele-work will always bring desired output from tthe he Tele-workers. There is a need of unlearning and relearning in terms of the management and supervision of the Tele-worker and getting in terms with changing the outlook of management objectives from being procedure focused to output or productivity focused by engaging in enhanced communication and coaching.
Chapter 3 Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction In this section of the research the researcher intends to authenticate the methodology used for the study. The intent of using the planned research method is to present the overall study in a practical and presentable way and also to ensure that the collected data is valuable to the objective of the research and efficient. The intent of a research is establish the research aims and objective by the answering the research questions through the findings. Research is defined according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary is "studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws" (Merriam Webster 2011). Hence the aims and objectives of the research have to be authenticated by the findings and outcomes of the research. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of technology in the development and expansion of Tele-working and about the changing trend in the mind set of people about working from home. This research is centrally focused on the contribution of technological advancement in the development and expansion of Tele-working and also its implications on the management aspects. The other research conducted on the various related topics are reviewed in chapter 2 and hence this methodologically and coherent research will help gaining the in-depth perceptive into contributions of technological advancements in contrast to the growth of Tele-working and the inclination and the increased tendency of opting to working from home.
3.2 Research Paradigms
The American Heritage Dictionary defines Paradigm as:
“A set of assumptions assumptions,, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline” (The American Heritage, 2009. pp 122)
Paradigm originates from "Paradeigma" a Greek word meaning prototype, model, illustration. The root Greek word for paradigm is formed of two words “Para” meaning alongside, ahead of or further than “Deiknumi” meaning to direct or to exhibit. In 1960 Nobel Laureate David Baltimore was first use Paradigm in line with Science to co-relate a hypothetical outline. The word paradigm is exclusively used in science sci ence to elaborate distinctive theories in the context of epistemology. Kuhn provided the word Paradigm its current connotation by referring this to the usual procedures which characterises the scientific order in set time frame. Kuhn defines paradigm as “an integrated set of assumptions, beliefs, models of doing good research, and techniques for gathering and analyzing data. It organizes core ideas, theoretical frameworks, and research methods” (Neuman 2007). Hence it can be said that Paradigm is unanimously acknowledged methodological findings which becomes a representation for a time span for the scholars for the subjective predicaments and resolutions (Kuhn 1996). Covey in his book interprets Paradigm as the individual’s perception at an object or situation based on the fundamental morality and ethics (Covey 2002).
3.3 Qualitative Research Methodology Qualitative Research Methodology is defined as:
"Qualitative research is a relatively unstructured research method such as focus groups where the the results are open to su subjective bjective interpretation" (Edmunds (Edmunds
1999 pp. 132)
In this type of research methodology greater emphasis is laid on to understand and appreciate the behaviour of human being and the rationale for the expressed behaviour. These findings are mainly based on why and how along with the investigation based on what, when and where questions to get the understanding of the background of behaviour. Qualitative is expressive and employs the interpretivistic approach wherein the understanding of the perspective of the research subject is a key factor. Emphasis is given to the surroundings of the research subject to understand the perspective and it is mandatory that no fabrication is applied to the subject’s surroundings. For this research samples selected can be small yet decisive and resolute to get effective outcomes. Qualitative research is often used and considered appropriate for educational and society based researches (Denzin and Lincoln 2005). The main concern with this methodology is getting the interpretations of the study and surroundings right and stay with the contextual frame in order to get the correct outcome. The researchers under this research approach frequently depend on interpretive & crucial societal knowledge and use the verbatim of case & context. This form of research is adaptable and along with the progression of the research, the research topic remains centric (Neuman 2007).
3.3.1 Strength and Limitations of Qualitative Research Methods Collected data is the research partaker’s views based on the individuals experiences as the collected data is principally addressing the inherent nature of the sample population, hence this outcome can only be only applied to the relevant study group and it cannot be used or generalised to the other research population. With this outcome comparative study can be done among the cases since it throws sufficient information of the researched sample. This method is useful in explaining the typical occurrences which cannot be represented or explained by numerical expression, thus this method can be utilised to explain the surroundings and experiences of occurrences in the sample. The expressions can be rich in order to provide the contextual details of the sample which helps the researcher in understanding the dynamic progression in terms of developments and a nd changes and the causing agents to the change. The possibility of changes in the research direction is possible according to the responses received and changes in the condition are noticed.
There are certain limitations with the qualitative research such as the research outcome cannot be applied to another sample population due to the difference in the surroundings and conditions. Since the research methodology is descriptive and deals with the details of the nature and surroundings hence the collected data cannot be converted into numerical values. Also since the research population is smaller in size therefore the research hypothesis cannot be applied to the larger population. The credibility of such a research may not be acceptable in the bureaucratic reports. The time taken for the collection of the research data and the analysis of the collected research data is much more compared to the quantitative research. The possibility of manipulation due to the influence of the interpretations from the individual’s
preconceptions and prejudices can affect the course of research outcome (Johnson and Christensen 2010).
3.4 Quantitative Research Methodology Quantitative Research Methodology is defines as: "Quantitative research is a structured research method designed to provide statistically valid results in the form of numbers and percentages" (Edmunds (Edmunds
1999 pp. 132)
This type of study relates to the empirical research based on the numerical values using the mathematical and statistical procedures. The aim of employing the quantitative research is to apply numerical representations, hypothesis & assumption which are relevant to the research subjects. The measuring procedure of the data is essential in quantitative research methodology as this endows the basic correlation linking the pragmatic study and numerical representation. As opposed to the qualitative methodology the researcher follows a linear approach of and accentuates neutrality. They prefer employ precise, uniformed measures and underlying rationalization. The procedures in this approach are frequently deductive by means of the progression of distinct steps that pave the way for the collection of data. The possible coherent errors must be avoided during the formation of hypothesis and the explanation of contributory explanation (Neuman 2007). In quantitative research methodology the societal disparity is documented in numerical form and the summary of the collected data is represented in statistical form. The variables used in the research are in fact quantitative
instruments which are measured in ratio considered as the premier rank of measurement as it is evident that the data analysed by the means of quantitative way is the most refined and sophisticated analysis (Ruane 2005). The outcomes and the findings based on the quantitative research are widely comprehensible to a research population as the outcome is based on numerical representation of the research sample population (pp 14).
3.4.1 Strength and Limitations of Quantitative Research Methods The quantitative research makes it possible to test & authenticate the existing hypothesis with recent collected research data and a valid explanations and reasons can be stated for the occurrences. The research findings with the data collected for one research population can be applied to the other research populations and this finding can be reproduced or applied on many other research populations. This type of the methodology can be applied on the larger population due to the statistical nature of data which cannot be influenced by the surrounding as possible in the qualitative research. Quantitative research method provides the quickest way of collecting data and it is represented in the numerical format hence the findings is accurate and acceptable for the government reports. Due to the numerical nature of the research outcome the possibility of researcher’s preconceptions and prejudices cannot affect the research outcome causing the deviation, also this numerical data is useful in gaining the quantitative outcomes. The analysis of the data does not take much time in comparison to the qualitative research methods. In Quantitative methodology it is possible to isolate the variables to find the grounds and consequences of the influencing variables and their associations.
The categorization used by the researcher may not reveal as per the perception of the research population. There is a possibility that the hypothesis applied by the researcher may not equate or resemble to the surroundings and the perceptions of the sample. The research outcome is broad and can be applied on a wider population hence the application of this research outcome on more specific situation or contextualization of personal issues of the entity may not be possible. Due to the excessive importance and priority given to the assessment of the existing theory rather than focusing on generating theory or hypothesis the researcher may ignore or fail to spot the occurrences in the innate surroundings which may prove to be the researcher’s confirmatory partiality (Johnson and Christensen 2010).
3.5 Rational for adopting the Research Methodology For this study the researcher has opted to use the amalgamation of both qualitative research methodology and quantitative research methodology. The approach of the use of blended research methodology has been seen very usual among the researchers. Johnson, Onwuegbuzie, and Turner said about the use of qualitative research method, quantitative research method and the combination of qualitative and quantitative research method as, “We currently are in a three methodological or research paradigm world, with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research all thriving and coexisting”, (Johnson et al., 2007, p. 117). The benefit of ap applying plying both the research method methodology ology provides a gr greater eater precision to the collected data; this also helps in avoiding any prejudices that may appear by the use of both the research methods thus overcoming the weaknesses in any particular methodology (Collins et al. 2006).
3.6 Research Methods The main objective of this research is to get an understanding of the role technological advancements play in the development and expansion of the home based Tele-working and how it is becoming a phenomenon and a social trend and is accepted by both the employees and employers. The researcher is also trying to get and in depth understanding of the management issues involved in the favour or against the Tele-working. Therefore the research population includes individuals working in areas where in the requirement of the commuting is not essential and also those who are already Tele-working either from home or remote locations using the technology for accomplishing the task. The research sample was taken from the office complex in London with multiple small offices that are all utilising technological devices to do their work.
A questionnaire consisting of 15 questions were prepared and were handed out to the survey partakers with a covering letter to the potential survey partakers. The prepared questionnaire was included with the closed ended questions and multi choice questions (Cohen et al 2007). The questionnaire handed to the partakers of the survey and 10 questionnaires were sent to the participants by email. The design of the questionnaire was done carefully to achieve the research outcome corresponding with the aims and objectives of the research as mentioned in the chapter one by analysing the collected data from the survey.
3.7 Primary Data The data collected by the researcher in the natural settings of the research population by observing them and getting their views and expressions first hand is Primary data (Kalof et al 2008). 3.7.1 Survey Questionnaire The finalised survey questionnaire was distributed among the Tele-workers in the office complex in London. These survey partakers were all Tech savvy and have been using the technological devises to do their works. All of the survey partakers were able to perform their jobs with the use of technology and wireless technology on the move as well as from any location. Total fifteen questions were finalised which consisted on close ended questions with Dichotomous type of questions. Dichotomous questions help the respondents in selecting the right answer from the give multiple choices with getting the advantage of knowing the degree of their choice and perception in the selected answer (Tharenou et al 2007 pp. 109). This method of collecting data is comparatively economical and straightforward in quantifying the data (Tharenou et al 2007 pp. 102). Another advantage of using the questionnaire is the ease it brings to utilise this as a data collection tool as it can be managed online, through email, by post and by hand as well.
3.7.2 Semi-Structured Interview Semi Structured Interview is a widely used in the research for the social sciences and academic researches. This type of interview is provides more flexibility to the interviewer
allowing them to formulate the questions during the interview while remaining within the subject (Lindlof and Taylor 2002). Making an outline of the topic and areas to be covered prior to the interview is better as this gives the interviewer the leverage and scope of getting wider response (Corbetta 2003 pp. 279). This method of interview provides the possibility of collecting a finer empirical data useful for the research. Since the importance of the contributing factors and surroundings of the research population is very important so the non structured form of interview becomes beneficial as this gives explanatory details during the interview (Rothkopf 2009).
3.8 Secondary Data Secondary data is the data collected by the other researchers in the past through surveys, interviews, censuses and organizational published reports. The analysis of the secondary data is highly used by researchers for comparative studies between the research samples and gives research areas for further investigations that the principal researcher may have left unseen (Neuman 2007). The caution of using the secondary data is the appropriateness of the published data for the researcher’s investigation. For this research various sources were considered for the secondary data such as the previous researches conducted on the topic of Tele-commuting or Tele-working, the surveys conducted by Office for National Statistics and the articles published in Journals and Newspapers.
3.9 Conclusion In this study the researcher is using the combination of both the research methodologies to understand the impact of technology on the Tele-working sector, in order to carry out the study research questions were drafted and staying within the confinement of the research aims and objectives. Researcher opted to collect the primary data through the survey questionnaires and semi structured interviews and the collected data was quantified in order to further analyse and find the research outcome. The analysis of the secondary data was conducted from different sources to benefit the study. The collected data will be analysed and studied in the following chapter.
CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction As cited in the first chapter the researcher aims to explore the role of technology in the popularity and rise of Tele-workers and Tele-working initiatives by the organisations and also tends to explore the changing social trends and the acceptance of the working from home as a social phenomenon. In this section of the dissertation the research associate will examine the and evaluate the collected data through the survey conducted in the offices of Spitfire studios and the semi structured interviews carried out with the managers of companies that are IT based as has Tele-workers in operation within the organisation. The questionnaire designed consists of 15 questions with the combination of closed end questions such as Likert Scale questions, multiple choice questions and questions to be answered in Yes or No. Total 60 questionnaires were sent to the potential survey participants in Spitfire Studios. All the questionnaires were made available to the participants with the introductory letter describing the purpose of the research in brief and also the indistinctness or the inconspicuousness was promised to the every person who volunteered to partake in the survey. 50 questionnaires were handed over to the employees working in different offices, 43 questionnaires were filled and handed back. The response received from the sample range was 86%. 10 questionnaires were emailed to the people who either work from home or a remote location; these people are known to me. Out of the 10 questionnaire total 7 questionnaires were emailed back thus giving a total 70% response from the email sample range. Please refer
the appendices for the Questionnaire and Questionnaire outcomes in Appendix QB1 and Appendix QB2 respectively.
Number of Questionnaire Distributed and the t he Responses received Questionnaire Distribution approach
Distributed in person By Email Total
Total Number of Questionnaires Distributed
Responses received
50
43
10 7 60 Questionnaire 50 Respondents Table 4.1: Number of Responses from Survey Questionnaire
Male Female Participation in the Survey S. No.
Gender Participation
Total Responses Received
1
Male Tele-Worke Tele-Workerr
32
2
Female Tele-Worker
18
Table 4.2: Respondents of the Survey (Male Female Participation)
Figure 4.2 - Respondents of the Survey (Male Female Participation)
During the research in order to avoid the gender based prejudice equal response were expected from both the genders however the expected equilibrium could not be achieved. Female responses were outnumbered by responses from their Male counterpart. Out of the total 50 Questionnaires which were handed out, 43 responses were received. 10 questionnaires were sent by email from which 7 responses received, out of which 32 responses were received from men and 18 responses from women.
4.2 Research Population at a glance The model of the population selected for the survey is the offices that involved in various businesses wherein Information Technology is the integral part of the day to day operations. The types of businesses in the Spitfire Studios operational are engaged in businesses such as apparel designing, Media production, Architect, Fashion Agents, Financial Advisers, Computer Consultants and Television & Radio Production Services etc. The individual’s work is IT and Computer based which can be performed irrespective of the location provided they have the connection to internet and upon the completion of the task the project can be electronically submitted to the centralised electronic storage for review. The individuals who have volunteered have identified themselves as the individuals who are IT savvy and constantly perform their work with the help of computers and telecommunication equipments. These individuals work from home as well as from the office as per the requirement and enjoy high flexibility in their professional life.
Survey Question
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1
6 months M F 12 7 19
6 – 12 months M F 8 5 13
Q2
Yes 50
No 0
Q3
Wireless Internet 32
DSL 14
Laptop 46
Q4
Instant messenger 50
Q5 Q6
Desktop 4
1 – 2 years M F 7 4 11
3 – 4 years M F 4 1 5
Cable 2
Satellite 2
Fax Machine 8
Web Conferencing 43
Web Camera 42
Blackberry 29
E-mail 50
Skype 45
5 + years M F 1 1 2
Smart phone 21 VoIP 10
VPN (Virtual Private Network) FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Virtual Storage Space 5 56 48 6 questions were closed ended Multiple option questions to extract the precise information needed for the research
Table 4.3 Survey Questionnaire Results (A)
Survey Question
Likert Scale
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
23
24
2
1
0
Q8
Strongly agree 27
Agree 20
Neutral 3
Disagree 0
Strongly disagree 0
Q9
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Q7
Q 10 Q 11
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
5 questions designed to get the degree of agreement on the issue raised Table 4.3 Survey Questionnaire Results (B)
Survey Question
Q 12
Q 13 Q 14 Q 15
Likert Scale
Very Unimportant
Unimportant
Neutral
Important
Very Important
20
26
4
0
0
Very Unimportant 0
Unimportant 0
Neutral 3
Important 28
Very Important 19
Very Unimportant 3
Unimportant 8
Neutral 4
Important 21
Very Important 14
Very Unimportant
Unimportant
Neutral
Important
Very Important
0
0
6
23
21
4 questions designed to get the t he degree of Priorities on the issue raised Table 4.3 Survey Questionnaire Results (C)
4.3 Analysis of Survey Questionnaire Responses: The results of the survey conducted are analysed and are converted into quantitative data and are presented in the table format and also presented graphically to get the understanding of the responses of the survey partakers. The responses reflect the aims and objectives of the research conducted on the topic of Working from home a social phenomenon, an investigation into the role of Technology in the success of home based Tele-working.
Q1 Please indicate your Tele-working experience Tele-Workers
Male Tele-Workers Female Tele-Workers Total Tele-Workers
Up to 6 Months
6 – 12 Months
1 – 2 Years
3 - 4 Years
5+ Years
12
8
7
4
1
7
5
4
1
1
19
13
11
5
2
Table 4.4.1: Tele-working Experience - Gender based Comparison
Figure 4.4.1- Tele-working Experience - Gender based Comparison
Tele-work has been gaining popularity in the past two decades, and many more are opting to work from home with the t he advantage of available technology (Martino 2001). Some have been very cynical about the concept of Tele-working (Meyer 2009), however there is also seen a trend of increase in the number of Male candidates in the Working from home or Teleworking (Stredwick and Ellis 2005). As represented in the Figure 4.3, out of the survey partakers it is quite obvious that a growing number of men have the inclination towards working from home. home. Out of the 50 survey respondents 19 people people are who are working working as Tele-workers for last one year and total 13 people are working as Tele-workers for two years, 11 individuals are working as a Tele-worker for three years and 5 people from the research sample have been working for 5 years. The survey outcome shows the male individuals outnumbering the female Tele-workers. There is a steady increase in the number of female Tele-workers when compared with the female Tele-workers in the past years. So it can be understood from the survey outcome that working from home is a preferred mode of working in the new breed of professionals.
Q2 Do you have Internet connection at your residence?
Yes No
50 = 100% 0 = 0% Table 4.4.2: Availability of Internet access
Figure 4.4.2: Availability of Internet access
100% of the survey respondents said yes to the availability of internet at their homes this could be either provided by the employer or may be having Broadband be a part of the employment requirement. This can also be due to the highly competent pricing strategy and the competition among the broadband providers, the availability of wireless internet connection and wireless hotspots with free access is also a contributing factor to the rise of Tele-working culture. All the 50 respondents of the survey had internet access at home as well as easy access to wireless internet through coffee shops and wireless hotspots. Some of the workers were getting allowanced for them to be able to work from home this may be contributing towards their expenses to the internet and telephony bill. The positive aspect of the small businesses; as highlighted by Jackson and Van Der Wielen is the quickness in the
implementation of the new technologies and decision making such as providing the allowances for IT which reduces the bureaucratic hassles and contributes towards the profitability and increased productivity (Jackson and Van Der Wielen 2001). The results in Figure has proven that most people favour broadband technology as it faster in comparison to other available services and also it gives much ease to perform the work.
Q3 Which type of Internet connection you have at your residence?
Wireless Internet DSL Cable 32 14 2 Table 4.4.3: Internet connections used by Tele-workers
Satellite 2
Figure 4.4.3: Types of Internet connections used by Tele-workers
From the survey outcome the result shows that 32 Tele-workers are using wireless internet connection as this is faster and without wire connection makes it easy to move around. The connectivity of the devices with the wireless is seamless and instant as opposed to the other
connections. 14 Tele-workers are using the DSL internet connection at home provided by the phone line and is wired. The reason for the use of DSL usage was found due to the requirement of upgrade in the computer system that they are using. The speed is good and the work goes uninterrupted as informed by the DSL users however they have an inclination towards moving to wireless technology. 2 research participants were using the Cable Internet connection and Satellite internet connection. The results in Figure V.V has proven that most people favour broadband technology as it faster in comparison to other available services and also it gives much ease to perform the work. Reasons could be that the user will have the freedom of working without wire secondly the connection speed is higher in wireless.
Q4 Which of the following technological devices you use while Tele-working? (Tick maximum 3 devices that are used the most) Laptop
46
Desktop
Fax Machine
Web Camera
Blackberry
Smart phone
4
8
42
29
21
Table 4.4.4: Devices used for Tele-working
Fi ure 4.4 4.4.4: .4: Devic Devices es use used d or Te Tele-w le-work orkin in
As the Figure V.VIII shows the details of the technological devices used by the Tele-worker while Tele-working. Each respondent was asked to list the most useful technological device that the individuals use while Tele-working on a daily basis. Each respondent had selected at least one device and maximum 3 devices. Total 150 responses were received for this question. The outcome does relate to the research of Alan Denbigh (Denbigh & Bertin 2003) which agrees to the survey made by BBC’s news survey about the preference for Laptops shown by people (BBC 2008). Laptops are more mobile when compared to the desktop and hence the demands for laptop are on rise. The use of Smartphone and Blackberry are also greatly increased as it helps to be in contact on the move as well as it solves the problem of accessing emails and the World Wide Web. There are limitations when using the laptop on the move as space is required and after continuous use charging will also become essential as opposed to the Smartphone. Web camera has also gained the place in the top priority list which helps is video conferencing and helps the management to be in touch with their work force as in the office. Definitely the desktop and the fax machine has been ruled out as a friendly tool for the Tele-worker as the e-fax and portable document format (PDF) has made the transfer of the document quicker, easier and great quality.
Q5 Which of the following programmes you use as communicating c ommunicating method?
Instant messenger 50
Web Conferencing 43
E-mail 50
Skype 45
VoIP 10
Table 4.4.5: Preferred Programs used by Tele-workers for communication
Figure 4.4.5: Tele-worker and the communication c ommunication
15 people our 50 has confirmed that they are using video conferencing this somehow agrees to the views presented by Denbigh and Bertin as well as Jackson and Wielen that people wish to be a part of ‘Virtual Office’ (Denbigh & Bertin, 2003; Jackson and Van Der Wielen 2002). 74% of the respondents believe that the increase in the Tele-workers is due to the attitude of management. Though the fact is acceptable that the technology has made the procedure and application easy however the attitude of the management cannot be overlooked because it is ultimately the consent of management that has given the probability; the projected profitability through this probability has led the management to change. This is a great example of Management by Objectives. Management by Objectives (MBO) is the procedure of identifying the purpose within the business so that Executives Board and workforce concur to the purpose and comprehend the expectations laid upon them (Drucker 2007).
Q6 Which are the main programmes used to transfer and access of files with the office while Tele-working? VPN - (Virtual Private Network) 5
FTP - (File Transfer Protocol) 56
Virtual Storage Space 48
Table 4.4.6: Programmes for accessing accessing and transferring transferring the files
Figure 4.4.6: Programmes for accessing and transferring the files file s
The accessibility of the files required re quired for the workers and the completed work to be saved in a secure location thus accessible to the relevant department is necessary, thus it can be said that the access to the important files fi les to the staff is mandatory (Denbigh & Bertin, 2003). Out of the total 50 respondents 5 people stated that they have access and they use VPN, 56 people said they are using File transfer Protocol while working from home and 48 respondents stated that they are using the Virtual Storage Space for transferring the files while Tele-working. The total responses expected from the respondents were one hundred and fifty however total responses received were 112. The reason for such number of responses was due to the usage multiple technologies simultaneously by the Tele-workers while working from home of a remote location. Tyson’s recommendation for the secure network for the Tele-working is given with force (Tyson and Crawford 2011).
Q7 Working from home does increases my productivity Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree
23
24
2
Strongly disagree
1
0
Table 4.4.7: Tele-Working and Tele-worker’s productivity
Figure 4.4.7: Tele-workers and Tele-worker’s Productivity
The response to this question was highly positive as 94% of the respondents said that working from home helps to be more productive. The Tele-working women agreed that the working from home increases the productivity as they are not cut off from the family affairs and hence they can contribute more. These result do show that the traditional thinking of working from home is only for women is confirmed to be incorrect as from the sample majority of the Teleworkers are men. Only 1 Tele-workers shows the disagreement on the productivity as related to the working from home. 2 Tele-workers maintained a neutral attitude towards this question, 24 Tele-workers agreed that the productivity increases while working from home and a nd 23 Teleworkers strongly agreed about the increase of productivity when working from home or a remote location (Walrave and Marijkedebie 2005). The data collected from the questionnaire
definitely confirms that working from home increases the productivity of women in comparison to men.
Q8 The possibility to work from home would/does develop my job satisfaction: Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
27
20
3
0
0
Table 4.4.8: Tele-working and Job satisfaction
Figure: Tele-working and Job satisfaction
In response to the Job satisfaction the response were highly enthusiastic as 47 out of the 50 respondents voted for Tele-working to be a factor for the job satisfaction. 27 participants strongly agreed the Tele-working leads to Job satisfaction and 20 people answered agreed. 3 people opted to maintain a neutral state for the question relating to the Job satisfaction. The reasons for the Job satisfaction can be due to the time the Tele-workers get to be with the family and the amount of flexibility flexibility they enjoy (Gajendran (Gajendran & Harrison, 20 2007). 07). Kathryn and Michael give some insightful thoughts for the greater Job satisfaction among the Teleworkers. The larger benefits pointed out by them are the office politics which can negatively affect the minds and cause displeasure, the frequent office meeting that breaks the
concentration and the stress caused by the personal problems of the co-workers in the office (Fonner and Roloff 2010).
Q9 My adaptation to the transition from one technology to the advanced one was: Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
27
16
2
3
0
Table 4.9: Adaptation and trans transition ition from one tec technology hnology to the ad advanced vanced technology technology
Figure 4.9: Adaptation and transition from one technology to the advance advanced d technology
This question was an important question as it dealt with the Technology in future and how this will incorporate with the Tele-working in years to come. There has been a lot of significant changes happed in terms of technological developments and these developments have only helped the Tele-working industry to propel to the next stage. Total responses from female were 18 out of which 2 female gave neutral response, 8 female felt the adaptability was easy and 4 female felt the transition was very easy however the negative response was 4 from the female. In contrast to the female response 26 responses were position and 6
responses were negative. Opposite to the conventional thinking women are getting savvier technologically, whereas for men stand out technically more well versed.
Q10 Do you think that the wireless technology would boost your Tele-working? Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
27
21
1
1
0
Table 4.10: Wireless Technology and Tele-working
Table 4.10: Wireless Technology and Tele-working
Total 32 responses were received by the respondents for this question. Probably the existing wireless users didn’t have to answer since they were already using the technology. One respondent disagreed assumingly he must be content with the DSL broadband service the respondent is have, however 18 DSL users felt that an upgrade is worth as they have experienced the comfort of working wireless in the office. 3 respondents gave a neutral response which shows that they are happy with the existing service that they are receiving. 1 respondent who is currently using the cable service also al so desired to get the wireless connection c onnection for more comfortable and fast service. Those who responded with disagreement and neutral
may have considered that an upgrade upgrade will not enhance their work by upgrading. upgrading. The response of the DSL users does support the argument of D. Athow that the “wireless broadband boost Tele-working” (Athow. D. 2006).
Q11 I am willing to Tele-work in future Strongly agree 24
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree 21 5 0 0 Table 4.11: Willingness to Tele-work in future
Figure 4.11: Willingness to Tele-work in future
The outcome of the research question 19 shows the willingness to work as a Tele-worker among the new generation of employees. The statistics collected by the ‘office of National Statistics’ shows an increase of 2.1 million which is the 8% of the total employee populace (BBC News 2005). These finding also suggests a change in the perception in the employees as 2/3 of the employee populace are men (BBC News 2003), which can be seen as a change in the traditional thinking of home to be seen as a workplace for women only. In the research carried out 76% has shown the willingness to work from home in future as, where the 16 women and 22 men have shown their interest by agreeing to work in the future. 9 people stayed neutral, during the further informal interviews it was found that as 7 people out of the 9
were already have been working fulltime as Tele-workers. However 3 men had shown their disagreement towards working from home, they did not give any further clarification on their decisions though. The general notion received from the research was the employee seeking a balance in the family and work-life (BBC 2004). There is change in the attitude towards the Tele-working, more and more people are willing to work from home as it keeps them emotionally healthy thus letting them to be more productive.
Q12 While Tele-working the job that interferes with my personal per sonal life is: Very Unimportant
Unimportant
Neutral
Important
Very Important
20
26
4
0
0
Table 4.12: Tele-working and interference with personal Life
Figure 4.12: Tele-working and interference with personal Life
In this question where the respondents were required to present their views on the interfering demands of the job and demands placed by the responsibilities of the job. 46 people were unwilling for such a job that may interfere with their personal lives. Out of the 46 people 20 Tele-workers voiced against such job more loudly by choosing the superlative response however 26 stated that such a job is unimportant to them. 4 Tele-workers took a neutral stand
on this question. The Tele-workers are expected and required to set sound boundaries so that they can only allow certain things to intrude while Tele-working.
Q13 Working for a company that values a balance between personal life and career is: Very Unimportant
Unimportant
0
0
Neutral
Important
3 28 Table 4.13: Tele-working and Personal Life
Very Important 19
Figure 4.13: Tele-working and Personal Life
The survey response shows a very clear outcome as 94% of the Tele-worker stated that a balance between work and personal life is an absolute requirement. 28 people selected the answer as important and 19 people said that the work life balance is very important. 3 Teleworkers selected their response response as neutral. Kathryn and Daniel suggests suggests that the organizations must have policies in place that addresses the balance between Job and personal lives, which according to them reduces the conflict between the Job and personal life as well as increases the productivity by making the work environment stress free and positive (Fonner and Roloff
2010). The Tele-worker has to proactively discipline themselves to avoid certain negative mannerism that which may affect the balance also need to adopt certain mannerisms that may help in balancing the work and life l ife (Joshi et al 2002). Q14 Having the opportunity to pursue personal interests outside work is:
Q14 Having the opportunity to pursue personal interests outside work is: Very Unimportant
Unimportant
Neutral
Important
Very Important
3
8
4
21
14
Table 4.14: Tele-working and opportunity to pursue personal interests outside work
Figure 4.14: Tele-working and opportunity to pursue personal interests outside work
There was a mixed approach towards this question, 50% of the survey partakers responded that they must have the liberty of doing things that of their personal interest outside the working hours, but 22% of the survey partakers stated that this t his is not very important for them. It seems that these 11 people who selected the answers as unimportant seems to be work oriented. However 4 people maintained a neutral stand towards this question.
Q15 A position that permits flexibility and autonomy in the work is: i s: Very Unimportant
Unimportant
Neutral
Important
Very Important
0
0
6
23
21
Table 4.15: Flexibility and Autonomy in Tele-working
Table 4.15: Flexibility and Autonomy in Tele-working
88% survey participants responded as the flexibility and the autonomy is important for them while Tele-working however 6 people said they were neutral on this issue. There were no negative responses received for this question which gives an understanding that flexibility and autonomy is a great motivating factor and leads to greater productivity (Thompson et al 1999). Autonomy is a decisive and crucial aspect of Tele-working which gives more sense of fulfilment (Clear and Dickson 2005).
4.4 Semi-Structured Interview Interview The researcher contacted the organizations that have Tele-workers as employees for the semi structured interview; brief information was provided to the contact person concerning the research. Two Team Leaders consented for the interview however they did not wanted to disclose the information pertaining to the organization and themselves. After a careful assessment five questions were chosen.
4.4.1 Analysis of Semi Structured Interview Q1. How long have you been handling Tele-working and what was your experience so far? Team Leader (A): I have been working in this position for last five years and have been
managing the project with the Tele-workers and non Tele-workers both. I have seen the Tele-working to be useful as they are found to be more dedicated and quicker in accomplishing the task as compared to the non Tele-workers. This could be due to no distractions which is constant in the office. Team Leader (B): I have been associated with Tele-working for a long time and I have
enjoyed working as a Tele-worker and now managing the Team of Tele-worker is exciting and challenging. Tele-working is cost effective and also with off shoring the operations for
massive organizations can be converted into 24/7 with much lesser cost. Productivity is also comparatively better than the non Tele-working T ele-working staff.
Q2. Do you think Technology has a vital role in the development of Tele-working? Please elaborate. Team Leader (A): Oh yes, Indeed. The Technology has just taken it swiftly to the
greater heights. Tele-working has eliminated the requirement of commuting for the accomplishment of the task and has replaced with the Information and Communication Technology. With the help of Internet and communication tools majority of operational functions can be achieved and that what Technology has exactly done. Team Leader (B): Yes I agree that as technology has revolutionised the entire world so
also it has positively impacted the Tele-working. The advancement of the Information Technology and the communication technology has brought about a massive transformation in the Tele-working. Availability of wireless broadband connections and the Laptops are other major contributors in the possibility of working on the move as well as working from home.
Q3. Which main technologies will you acknowledge for the success of Tele-working? Team Leader (A): Internet, Wireless technology, Laptops, Communication tools
(Mobiles, Skype, VoIP), and Virtual tools for f or the transferring of the files
Team Leader (B): Developments in the Information Technology and Communication
sector are the main broad technological areas that can be attributed for the expansion of Tele-working. The free software that enable people to communicate (Voice & Video) and the advancement in the computing world are key aspects. Broadband and wireless technology plays the most significant part as well. Q4. What are the main dynamics that promotes Tele-working? Team Leader (A): There are many things that can be pointed out, nevertheless it is
highly circumstantial and may differ from person to person. Flexibility, avoidance of commuting, less distraction and Autonomy are just few of the factors. Team Leader (B): The main dynamic can be attributed to the intrinsic values and
benefits a Tele-worker can achieve through Tele-working. Work and family balance, flexibility, away from office politics, no travel are some of the other causes for people embracing Tele-work however there may be more depending on the individuals.
Q5. What are the challenges you face as a Manager about Tele-working? Team Leader (A): The supervision is always a concern, measuring the productivity is
another area of concern. Providing the technical support in case of technical problem with the operational tool which can hamper the productivity if the support is not provided on time also the support can only be provided over the phone if the instructions are not precisely followed then the resolutio resolutionn will not be effective. Team Leader (B): Communication is a concern, mainly because you can’t see the
person whom you are communicating and hence you can’t see the body language of the
person. Appraisal, supervision and monitoring of the Tele-worker are also key concerns. Meeting the deadlines and completing the projects assigned is the main expectation laid on the Tele-workers. Providing support is another area which is time consuming.
4.4.2 Discussion of the Semi Structure Interview Both the Team leader interviewed were well informed and technically sound, they also had a good knowledge of management. The importance of the technology was appreciated by both and discussed the factors that encourage people to undertake Tele-working as profession and also the challenges were pointed out by them (Madsen 2003).
4.5 Conclusion After the reviewing of the available literature by the authoritative researchers, academicians, the news, articles, the text books and journals on one hand and the survey conducted within the Tele-working community and the semi structured interview revealed the importance of the Technology and the benefits the advancement has brought. Tele-working though is not suitable for all the positions however it is cost effective, environmental friendly, employee friendly. The management challenges which were raised are a matter of further research. The differences of genders and how that can be linked to productivity and profitability is another area of study. But it is quite evident that the technology has played a vital role in the expansion of Tele-working.
Chapter 5 Conclusion and Recommendations
5.1 Tele-working Now and Beyond:
Tele-working has a great potential to be the most profitable operational strategy by instating policies and procedures in practice. Though there are various concerns that are voiced but the benefits and profitability outweighs the concerns. However these concerns need to be addressed and a positive solution needs to be found for the Tele-working to be more effective. Tele-workers may face seclusion from the main operational team and the other colleagues in the other departments, yet the possibility of the growth of working from Home or a remote location is growing rapidly and becoming a social phenomenon with the advancement of the technology which which has made th thee video an andd audio interface for the communication. The superior and ever developing technology is the key success factor for the working from home or Tele-working. By enabling the employee employeess to work from home or a rremote emote location helps in reducing the infrastructural costs for the businesses. The change in the attitude of the management is another very strong reason for the future of the Tele-working to be considered as very bright.
Working from home allows people of all walks of life to be able to work from their comfort zone for the organizations with the technological advances. Having the availability to the technological upper hand and the nature of work which enables the freedom of Tele-working either from home or a remote location will attract more people for employment.
Communication and monitoring becomes easy with the advanced technology. Some of the preferred ways of communication is online web conference, online instant messaging services etc.
During the research on the field it was noticed that most of the contributors in the research were intermittent Tele-workers. From the gathered responses it was found that in ten years time it is very likely to see an increase in the number of mainstream Tele-workers. This outcome was registered from the responses to the question posted at the participants that whether they thought that employees would be eager to take Tele-working as a full time vocation in the future. The importance and requirement of in-person communication was emphasised by the research participants. An increase in the interest to work from home or Tele-working will be seen in the years ahead was response gathered from the two managers interviewed.
5.2 Tele-working and the Impediments: The research shows a steady rise in number of Tele-workers and employers keen to allow their employees to work from home or remote locations but there are still some areas which if improved the difficulties can be tackled t ackled (Stredwick 2005). The areas of concern addressed are the expenditure in employing the technology required for the Tele-workers to be able to work, size of the organization etc. The advancement in the technology in the past 2 decades is the main contributing factor which has caused a steady growth in the Tele-working within the UK or UK’s offshore operations; however same factor was an obstacle for many organizations
that were reluctant to embrace the advancement of technology (Hotopp.U. 2005; Denbigh 2003). Alan Dixie differentiates the willingness of corporations to adapt to the pace with the pace of change in the marketplace in comparison to the positive positioning of the corporations to meet with the challenges lying ahead (Dixie 2003). Hence many companies have instigated the plan for Tele-working within the country and Tele-working overseas through offshore operations. Allocation of well defined time span is a requirement as there are multiple factors involved such as the capital, the infrastructure and resources especially for small and medium sized organisations (Denbigh 2003).
Introduction of the new technology is always encountered with an element of fear for those in the advanced aging group. Tele-working was also advancement in the employment from a traditional outlook. The shift of the working areas from traditional office space to the remote locations and working from homes created another possibility with the help of technological advancement were viewed as shifting of powers who were tech savvy (Huws 1993). Though this idea is old but is still prevalent today as the technological advancement is much faster and the employees are required to be updated with the latest advancements. Thus the technological hindrance could still be prevalent if not continuously updated with the advancement. There have been apprehensions ab about out the technological assistance provided by the organisations for the Tele-workers. These concerns are temporarily addressed by the technical device suppliers in the market which are not up to the expected standards, hence many enhancements need to be done in the devices that help the Tele-workers to carry out their tasks (Athow 2006; Stredwick 2005). Further concerns of security are also alarming.
5.3 Recommendations for Further Research There is a possibility of further research in the Tele-worker’s gender based differences
•
in the productivity and the factors that that enhances the productivity leading to the profitability. The management challenges as a subject for further research.
•
Training and Coaching - The gap between the technological advancements and the
•
opportunities for training within the organisation. Growth prospects of the Tele-workers within the organisation as a Tele-worker
•
Health and safety of the Tele-worker at home and the insurance coverage while
•
working from home for the Tele-worker Tele-working as alternate to tackle emergency situations, State and Corporate
•
partnership for better handling of Crisis management is another area of possible research with in UK.
5.4 Conclusion The research study made to investigate the contributory role the technology and the technological advancement has made in the development and expansion of Tele-working was of an immense significance. The greater impact was seen after the wider availability of wireless technology and its implementation. However there is a possibility of further study in the relational technological impact on the Tele-workers. There is also seen a greater demand in terms of greater balance in job and family, interference of the work into the personal space
and having the freedom while working with the organization. The studies does show the fear of social seclusion however on the other hand participants have shown a greater enthusiasm in working from home and opting for a greater balance in job and family equation. The managers have been concerned about the issue of supervision and productivity, there are technologies available to monitor the Tele-workers activity of the computer or the technological devises but that is not economical. But the frequent communication and meeting the deadlines and completion of the assigned task within the provided time frame is a way out of this problem.
6. REFERENC REFERENCES ES Ann, A., (2008), "Technology "Technology Helps Make T Telecommuting elecommuting Work", [Onl [Online], ine], Available at Accessed on May 2011 Aryee, S., Srinivas, E.S., E.S., and Tan, H.H. H.H.,, (2005), "Rhythms of life: Ante Antecedents cedents and outcomes of work-family balance in employed e mployed parents", Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(1), 132-146 Athow, D., (2006), (2006), “Wireless Broadba Broadband nd Boosts Tele-wo Tele-working” rking” [Online], A Available vailable at
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