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Home, Work and Management in the Information Age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Peter Standen
Peter Standen*
Affiliation:
Department of Management, Edith Cowan University, Pearson Street, Churchlands WA 6018, Tel: +61 9 273 8335, Fax: +61 9 273 8754, Email: p.standen@cowan.edu.au
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Abstract

Allowing employees to work at home for at least part of the week is a management concept said to be rapidly gaining popularity. There is evidence that employees working at home are more productive, satisfied and committed, and that homeworking allows organisations to reduce office overheads, recruit from a wider pool, and retain valued workers. This paper examines the spread of homeworking and its telecommunications-based variant teleworking in Australia. A survey of human resource managers in Western Australia shows that, while 28 percent of large organisations have homeworkers, they are generally few in number and permitted only on an informal basis. Factors inhibiting use of homeworking include a lack of awareness and support amongst senior and middle managers, concerns over issues such as security and occupational health, and unsupportive organisational cultures. It is concluded that, contrary to media reporting, home-working and teleworking are not likely to become widespread in Australia in the near future.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 1 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 1997

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