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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the world economy in various ways. In particular, the drastic shift to telework has dramatically changed how people work. Whether the new style of working from home (WFH) will remain in our society highly depends on its effects on workers’ productivity. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effects of WFH on productivity are still unclear. By leveraging unique surveys conducted at four manufacturing firms in Japan, we assess within-company productivity differences between those who work from home and those who do not, along with identifying possible factors of productivity changes due to WFH. Our main findings are as follows. First, after ruling out the time-invariant component of individual productivity and separate trends specific to employee attributes, we find that workers who worked from home experienced productivity declines more than those who did not. Second, our analysis shows that poor WFH setups and communication difficulties are the major reasons for productivity losses. Third, we find that the mental health of workers who work from home is better than that of workers who are unable to work from home. Our result suggests that if appropriate investments in upgrading WFH setups and facilitating communication can be made, WFH may improve productivity by improving employees’ health and well-being.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a theoretical model that predicts a teleworker’s job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach By drawing on the technostress model and job characteristics theory, this study proposed a theoretical model. The proposed model was tested through a survey of 258 teleworkers from two global IT companies that have adopted telework programs. Findings The results show that technology and job characteristics jointly induce teleworkers’ technostress, which in turn reduces their job satisfaction. The results also indicate that the manner in which technology and job characteristics influence teleworkers’ technostress varies depending on the intensity of teleworking (IOT). Interestingly, this study finds that teleworkers with a low IOT are more vulnerable to technostress than those with a high IOT. Research limitations/implications By discussing the magnitude of the different factors that determine teleworkers’ technostress and job satisfaction, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of teleworkers’ challenges. The study provides insights and prescriptive guidelines that will help managers and companies develop strategies to maximize the benefits of teleworking implementation. Practical implications This study provides insights and prescriptive guidelines for managers or companies to develop strategies to maximize the benefits of teleworking implementation. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to develop and empirically test an integrated model of technostress and job characteristics. The paper outlines relevant research avenues for researchers investigating remote work and virtual collaboration.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the evolution of teleworking in Portugal during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to analyze sectoral variations and identify regional disparities in teleworking adoption.   Theoretical Framework: The research builds on teleworking adoption rates and their variation across sectors and regions considering the differentiation of several factors, like higher education levels and knowledge-intensive sectors. Key concepts include the benefits and challenges of teleworking, the impact of COVID-19 on work practices, and regional disparities in teleworking adoption.   Method: This study uses data from the ad hoc module of the Employment Survey by the Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE) for the years 2019 to 2023, on a quarterly basis, for the Portuguese territory. Data were stratified by NUTS II regions and economic activity classification.   Findings: The results indicate a substantial increase in teleworking during the pandemic, identifying significant regional and sectoral variations, with higher percentages of teleworking employees in the areas of Information and communication activities, Financial and insurance activities, Real estate activities, Consultancy, scientific, technical, and similar activities, and Administrative and support service activities. The Lisbon Metropolitan Area exhibited the highest percentage of workers in a teleworking model before, during, and after the pandemic period, particularly in knowledge-intensive sectors. Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio es investigar la evolución del teletrabajo en Portugal durante e inmediatamente después de la pandemia de COVID-19, con el objetivo de analizar las variaciones sectoriales e identificar disparidades regionales en la adopción del teletrabajo.   Marco Teórico: La investigación se basa en la adopción del teletrabajo y su variación entre sectores y regiones debido a diferencias en varios factores, como niveles educativos más altos y sectores intensivos en conocimiento. Los conceptos clave incluyen los beneficios y desafíos del teletrabajo, el impacto de COVID-19 en las prácticas laborales y las disparidades regionales en la adopción del teletrabajo.   Método: Este estudio utiliza datos del módulo ad hoc de la Encuesta de Empleo del Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) para los años 2019 a 2022 para el territorio portugués. Los datos se estratificaron por regiones NUTS II y clasificación de actividad económica.   Resultados: Los resultados indican un aumento sustancial del teletrabajo durante la pandemia, con importantes variaciones regionales y sectoriales, con mayores porcentajes de empleados en teletrabajo en las áreas de Actividades de información y comunicación, Actividades financieras y de seguros, Actividades inmobiliarias, Consultoría, científica, técnica y actividades similares, y actividades administrativas y de servicios de apoyo. El Área Metropolitana de Lisboa exhibió el mayor porcentaje de trabajadores en un modelo de teletrabajo antes, durante y después del período de pandemia, particularmente en sectores intensivos en conocimiento. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo é investigar a evolução do teletrabalho em Portugal durante e imediatamente após a pandemia de COVID-19, visando analisar as variações setoriais e identificar disparidades regionais na adoção do teletrabalho.   Referencial Teórico: A investigação baseia-se na adoção do teletrabalho e na sua variação entre setores e regiões devido a diferenças em vários fatores, como os níveis de ensino superior e os setores intensivos em conhecimento. Os principais conceitos incluem os benefícios e desafios do teletrabalho, o impacto da COVID-19 nas práticas de trabalho e as disparidades regionais na adoção do teletrabalho.   Método: Este estudo utiliza os dados do módulo ad hoc do Inquérito ao Emprego do Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE) relativos aos anos de 2019 a 2022 para o território português. Os dados foram estratificados por regiões NUTS II e classificação da actividade econômica.   Resultados: Os resultados indicam um aumento substancial do teletrabalho durante a pandemia, com variações regionais e setoriais significativas, com percentagens mais elevadas de trabalhadores em teletrabalho nas áreas de Actividades de informação e comunicação, Actividades financeiras e de seguros, Actividades imobiliárias, Consultoria, científica, técnica e atividades similares e Atividades administrativas e de serviços de apoio. A Área Metropolitana de Lisboa apresentou a maior percentagem de trabalhadores em modelo de teletrabalho antes, durante e depois do período pandêmico, particularmente nos setores intensivos em conhecimento.

COVID-19 accelerated a decade-long shift to remote work by normalizing working from home on a large scale. Indeed, 75% of US employees in a 2021 survey reported a personal preference for working remotely at least one day per week 1 , and studies estimate that 20% of US workdays will take place at home after the pandemic ends 2 . Here we examine how this shift away from in-person interaction affects innovation, which relies on collaborative idea generation as the foundation of commercial and scientific progress 3 . In a laboratory study and a field experiment across five countries (in Europe, the Middle East and South Asia), we show that videoconferencing inhibits the production of creative ideas. By contrast, when it comes to selecting which idea to pursue, we find no evidence that videoconferencing groups are less effective (and preliminary evidence that they may be more effective) than in-person groups. Departing from previous theories that focus on how oral and written technologies limit the synchronicity and extent of information exchanged 4 , 5 – 6 , we find that our effects are driven by differences in the physical nature of videoconferencing and in-person interactions. Specifically, using eye-gaze and recall measures, as well as latent semantic analysis, we demonstrate that videoconferencing hampers idea generation because it focuses communicators on a screen, which prompts a narrower cognitive focus. Our results suggest that virtual interaction comes with a cognitive cost for creative idea generation. Videoconferencing inhibits the production of creative ideas, but videoconferencing groups are as effective as (or perhaps even more effective than) in-person groups at deciding which ideas to pursue.

This paper analyses teleworking in social services during the state of alarm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. It has a double objective: To analyse the profile of the professional who teleworked in social services and, on the other hand, to analyse the perception of teleworkers of working conditions during this period, as well as the degree to which they have been affected by them depending on whether they work face-to-face or telematically. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to Spanish social service professionals working, obtaining a sample of 560 professionals in the sector. The profile obtained in relation to teleworking may be especially useful when considering the progressive incorporation of more non-presential activity in social services, and the results show that, although teleworking has been perceived as an efficient way of overcoming the limitations to face-to-face work arising from the pandemic, both the positive and negative consequences of the implementation of this modality of work should be carefully assessed.

The number of people working from home (WFH) increased radically during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate people’s experiences of WFH during the pandemic and to identify the main factors of advantages and disadvantages of WFH. Data from 29 European countries on the experiences of knowledge workers (N = 5748) WFH during the early stages of lockdown (11 March to 8 May 2020) were collected. A factor analysis showed the overall distribution of people’s experiences and how the advantages and disadvantages of WFH during the early weeks of the pandemic can be grouped into six key factors. The results indicated that most people had a more positive rather than negative experience of WFH during lockdown. Three factors represent the main advantages of WFH: (i) work–life balance, (ii) improved work efficiency and (iii) greater work control. The main disadvantages were (iv) home office constraints, (v) work uncertainties and (vi) inadequate tools. Comparing gender, number of children at home, age and managers versus employees in relation to these factors provided insights into the differential impact of WFH on people’s lives. The factors help organisations understand where action is most needed to safeguard both performance and well-being. As the data were collected amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend further studies to validate the six factors and investigate their importance for well-being and performance in knowledge work.

The new social context brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has generated significant changes in the work of employees. Social distancing and isolation have imposed the adoption of teleworking in most cases. Teleworking existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, and was considered a facilitator of job flexibility, thus increasing employees' autonomy in their work. This paper aims to identify how teleworking, through its dimensions (teleworking autonomy and interaction reduction) influences self-regulatory capacity, professional isolation, task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive work behaviours. The data were collected from 641 respondents, namely Romanian employees, who operated by teleworking. The theoretical model and relation between the constructs were tested with the aid of structural equation modelling in SmartPLS. The interaction reduction in the context of teleworking significantly, positively, and strongly influences professional isolation, and to a lesser extent, but significantly nonetheless, counterproductive work behaviour and employee self-regulatory capacity. The research originality lies in expanding the theoretical contributions regarding teleworking theory by proposing a new teleworking scale based on teleworking autonomy and interaction reduction. It also contributes to the development of Self-regulatory Theory and Social Exchange Theory. From a managerial perspective, it highlights the importance of the dimensions of teleworking for the employer, as well as the effects of teleworking on task performance and contextual performance in the COVID-19 pandemic, offering helpful solutions to employers in the identification of viable solutions for the improvement of employee outcomes, and for the reduction of counterproductive work behaviour.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) increasingly enable employees to work from home and other locations ('teleworking'). This study explores the extent to which teleworking reduces the need to travel to work and the consequent impacts on economy-wide energy consumption. The paper provides a systematic review of the current state of knowledge of the energy impacts of teleworking. This includes the energy savings from reduced commuter travel and the indirect impacts on energy consumption associated with changes in non-work travel and home energy consumption. The aim is to identify the conditions under which teleworking leads to a net reduction in economy-wide energy consumption, and the circumstances where benefits may be outweighed by unintended impacts. The paper synthesises the results of 39 empirical studies, identified through a comprehensive search of 9000 published articles. Twenty six of the 39 studies suggest that teleworking reduces energy use, and only eight studies suggest that teleworking increases, or has a neutral impact on energy use. However, differences in the methodology, scope and assumptions of the different studies make it difficult to estimate 'average' energy savings. The main source of savings is the reduced distance travelled for commuting, potentially with an additional contribution from lower office energy consumption. However, the more rigorous studies that include a wider range of impacts (e.g. non-work travel or home energy use) generally find smaller savings. Despite the generally positive verdict on teleworking as an energy-saving practice, there are numerous uncertainties and ambiguities about its actual or potential benefits. These relate to the extent to which teleworking may lead to unpredictable increases in non-work travel and home energy use that may outweigh the gains from reduced work travel. The available evidence suggests that economy-wide energy savings are typically modest, and in many circumstances could be negative or non-existent.

The virtual way of working is becoming increasingly popular due to its potential for cost savings; it is also a way for an organization to be more agile and adapt to crises such as global pandemics. This innovative way of working brings new challenges to organizations that suddenly have to switch to telework. In fact, telework raises quite a few issues for employees, related to communication, collaboration, and the application of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies). This study examined the evaluation of telework through a questionnaire by different conditional groups of 436 teleworkers in Lithuania. Through a correlation analysis between the study variables, the findings suggest that there are differences in the evaluation of factors affecting telework efficiency and qualities required from a remote worker, depending on gender, age, education, work experience, and experience of telework. The results are discussed in terms of the characteristics of the most satisfied and the most dissatisfied teleworkers.