Understanding the bright side and the dark side of telework: An empirical analysis of working conditions and psychosomatic health complaints

Abstract

In the course of digitisation, work away from the principal office using information and communications technology (telework, telecommuting, and mobile work) has established itself in various segments of the labour market. Still, the impact of telework on employees’ health is far from clear and is often controversially discussed at the individual, organisational and political level—but also in social research. Against this background, we analyse the effects of telework on employees’ psychosomatic health complaints with the help of large-scale and representative German survey data. Applying the statistical method of path analysis, we find indirect relationships between telework and employees’ health via working time control, time pressure, boundaryless working hours, relationships with coworkers, and disturbances and interruptions. These findings add to the debate on the beneficial and detrimental effects of digitisation by focusing on significant working conditions related to telework.