IS THIS (TELE)WORKING? A path model analysis of the relationship between telework, job demands and job resources, and sustainable employability.
Elizabeth M Beekman, Madelon M L Van Hooff, Krisna Adiasto and 2 others
PMID 39150841WHAT IT FOUND
Employees who teleworked more reported higher work pressure and less role clarity.
Work pressure was linked to higher vitality, contradicting expectations. Role clarity and workplace communication were positively associated with employability and vitality. The study found no major risks of mass teleworking on sustainable employability.
Key findings
01Employees who spent a larger percentage of their time teleworking reported higher work pressure and less role clarity.
02Employees who reported higher work pressure also experienced higher vitality, which was opposite of what was hypothesized.
03Role clarity and workplace communication were positively associated with higher employability and vitality.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Most data were self-reported, which is vulnerable to common-method biases. The survey was voluntary, so there may be response bias; employees with more sick leave might have been less inclined to participate. The study is cross-sectional, so causal relationships cannot be confirmed. Data collection occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when telework was mandated, so the percentage of teleworking may not represent current or voluntary telework situations. The sample was from a single government agency in the Netherlands, limiting generalizability to other sectors or countries.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the association between teleworking and lower sick leave frequency as evidence that teleworking improves health. The authors suggest this may be caused by presenteeism, where employees continue to work from home despite being ill or do not report illness because they are less visible in the workplace.