Co-workers who telework and the impact on those in the office: Understanding the implications of virtual work for co-worker satisfaction and turnover intentions

Abstract

Telework and other forms of virtual work have experienced dramatic growth over the last decade. While research is beginning to understand its impacts on teleworkers themselves, studies to date have not looked at its effect on those who remain in the office. This study therefore shifts the focus to non-teleworkers in offices where telework is present, to investigate if the prevalence of teleworkers in an office impacts the work outcomes of non-teleworkers. Using a sample of 240 professional employees, results suggest teleworker prevalence is negatively associated with co-worker satisfaction, and that this relationship is influenced by the amount of time co-workers telework, the extent of face-to-face interactions, and job autonomy. Moreover, a non-teleworker's satisfaction with co-workers was also found to be negatively associated with turnover intentions. Together, results suggest the need to consider the full range of telework's impacts including the potential adverse consequences for non-teleworkers.