Name : Chew Yang Student Number : 7100358

A306 Management Information Systems and The Networked Society Assignment

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Question 4
Sullivan (2004) defines telework as “Work that is carried out at a distance from the core
organization through the medium of ICTs” Discuss telework and the impact it is having
on contemporary work practices.

Abstract
Home-based telework is one of the flexible working options available today and is
unique in its ability to physically and emotionally blur the boundaries between work and
home. In this paper I will discuss about what does telework do and the advantages it
bring to both the corporate and individual workers. I will also discuss on some of the
negative issues that might be faced by telecommuters. I will conclude that telework is
an optional tool that will bring competitive advantages to the corporate and provide a
more flexible working method for employees if it is being managed properly.

Introduction
Telework by large as explained by Sullivan (2004) means “Work that is carried out at a
distant from the core organization thorough the medium of ICTs”. Telework can be
carried out either from the comfort of one’s home or from a designated location away
from the main office location by the corporate. Another form of teleworking can be seen
as mobile teleworking. That means performing duties outside of office compound on
the go. Besides work being carried out at other location other than the corporate
offices, telework can also be scheduled for telecommuters to be working on part-time
basis, reporting only to work place from several days per week and other time be
working else where.

Positive impacts of Telework.

In this session, we look at the hypothesized benefits of individual and company in
teleworking. The following benefits are viewed from the angle of the individual
employee. These are perceived benefits to individual and subjected for debate.

An opportunity for physically disabled, women, unwell, senior citizen to work

from home.
With the help of telephony network, internet and mobile computer (laptops), individual
are able to get connected to office network and perform their duties from home. It
opens up job opportunity for those individual who needs to perform household duties
as primary concern.

More time for home and family members

Individual given the option to work from home need not report back to office that often.
They will then be able to perform household chores and spend time with their family
members while performing their office duties at home.

Reduced time in traveling

When there isn’t a need to travel to office, time will be saved and instead can be spend
on completing the office tasks at home.

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Name : Chew Yang Student Number : 7100358

A306 Management Information Systems and The Networked Society Assignment

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More flexible hour
While working from home, individual can manage and balance their own time for office
work and family affairs. They have the flexibility and free play as long as they are able
to deliver the expected office tasks on schedule. Telework assignments are normally
task and result orientated and therefore as long the job can be completed in time, how
and when to do it will be up to individual’s plan.

Greater job autonomy

As telecommuters are performing their duties from home and will be out of “Radar”
sight and control from the management. This extra personal space and freedom are
given to individual. However these individual are supposed to be trusted by
management to exercise more self control, self motivation and discipline to perform the
expected duties. Telecommuters tends to be more independence and pro-active in
nature.

From the view of the management, there will also be some perceived benefits.
Saving on operational cost
Having employees working from home, there will be fewer requirements to have big
office space to house employees. Office space rental and utility bills, transport
allowance and other personnel related benefits can be reduced. As fewer employees
need to travel to work, fewer cars used on road can indirectly cause the environment to
be cleaner as well.

Competitive advantages
Having employee working without the restriction of location while still able to get
connected to office network, this give the company the added advantage over
competitors as they will have more workers being deployed at customers or supplier
work place. This gives them the personal touch and brings the relationship closer. With
the mobility ability and information can be easily retrieved at anywhere and anytime by
employee, response time can be reduced whenever needed.

Negative impacts of Telework.

In this session, we look at the hypothesized cost of individual and company in
teleworking. The following costs are viewed from the angle of the individual employee.
These are perceived cost to individual and subjected for debate.

Fewer chance for career development and promotion

As telecommuters are out of management’s sight, it created the detachment from the
corporate and make them loose the sense of belonging to company. It will also create
the perceived disadvantage of being out of flavor when comes to being considered for
promotion by management as their performance and contribution are not as obvious as
those traditionally working in office.

Limited face-to-face interaction and social isolation.

As telecommuters are working individually and will be connected to office network and
report back to management via ICTs. There are clear lack of personal touch and face-
to-face interaction with fellow colleagues. They might developed self-centered
psychological behaviors and get isolated from their social life.

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Name : Chew Yang Student Number : 7100358

A306 Management Information Systems and The Networked Society Assignment

_____________________________________________________________________

Subjected to exploitation.
The time saved in traveling and meal breaks, can be expected to be spend on
performing the duties assigned to individual. Instead of the abilities to spend more time
with family, the individual may be assigned with more tasks to perform and might end
up spending more personal time to perform the official duties.

Intrusion of privacy
The telecommuters are supposed to be out of sight and have more private space and
time to work from home. In order for management to have better control, they may
implement some control measures like having them to be connected to instance
messaging facilities, response to email communication or get connected to electronic
portal and bulletins more often. In extreme measures, the management might enforce
the telecommuters to install webcam for surveillance as well as doing more ac-hoc spot
check visits to the employee’s home.

Lower job security

When there’s a need for overhead reduction by company, the first to be eliminated from
the organization will be those temporary staff, contract staff and those ‘out-of-sight’ staff
like telecommuters. They are not often seen by the management and therefore less
remembered or recognized by management. They will be more or less be among the
first to be considered for off loading.

Lack of resources support

Working from home will not have the luxuries of having IT and technological support at
an instant. While working in office area, whenever you’re faced with any technological
problems with your equipments or applications, the IT department and helpdesk is just
a walk away and help can be seek easily as compared to those working from home.

From the angle of the management, there will also be some perceived cost.
Management and control nightmares
Having employees working from different physical location and possibilities of being in
different geographical location and time zones. The managers will have a hard time
trying to control and monitor the work progress of their subordinates.

More technological support required

Working off site (home or designated site offices) will need to be more technologically
supported. As the equipment (PDAs, laptops, tablet PCs) used need to mobile and
connectivity need to be stable, fast and secured. Investment in this area by company
can be huge. VPN tunnel, GPRS, secured PPTP tunnel can be the connectivity
technology to be employed. Secured RSA token, MOVEit DMZ, and firefox (firewall)
can be the security measures needed.

More highly skilled, technological savvy and highly self disciplined workers
needed
As individual will be working independently out of sight from management, individual
worker will need to process the ability to self-support in terms of technology, self-
motivated and pro-active in nature. This could mean higher cost in employment to get
high caliber employees that have the above mentioned abilities and characteristic.

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Name : Chew Yang Student Number : 7100358

A306 Management Information Systems and The Networked Society Assignment

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Conclusion
Teleworking is not as easily implemented as it seems to be. It requires a lot of
coordination, corporation, discipline and corporate policies to be implemented in order
to be successful. The Information Technology department and the Human Resource
department need to work together well and to facilitate such a program to be
implemented. The IT department will need to take care of the technologies and support
needed for telecommuters in carrying out his duties away from the physical company
offices. The HR department will need to incorporate policies that ensure the welfare of
employees is not compromised and to create an inclusive environment for the
telecommuters to work in.

Telework implicates some social and human emotional issues which can be disruptive.
However when these are being handled and managed properly, telework can be a very
powerful and useful tool to the corporate as well as an alternative working method for
individual, especially to the physically disabled, old age and home-based women.

Telework also open up more opportunities to employ and work with talents from
different geographical regions, cultures, religion, gender and race. This trend could be
the future way to manage and operate business as we see more globalization of
companies.

Acknowledgement
I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of Dr. Melanie Wilson,
University of Manchester Institute of science and technology (UMIST). and Dr. Anita
Greenhill, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in
relation to the work on identity and gender at work.

References
Dr. M. Wilson and Dr.A. Greenhill :
GENDER & TELEWORKING IDENTITIES;
RECONSTRUCTING THE RESEARCH AGENDA

Dr. G Musson (June 2005)

MEN AT WORK AND AT HOME;
MANAGEING EMOTIONAL LABOUR IN TELEWORK

White paper (MegaPath)

HOW TO IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL TELECOMMUTING PROGRAM

Jenny C. McCune (Bankrate.com)

MANAGING EMPLOYEES WHO ARE HOME ALONE AND WORKING

John R. Quain (Bnet.com) April 1999

THE RIGHT WAY TO LET GO – MANAGING TELECOMMUTERS

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