On the Work Autonomy Supported by Information and Communication Technology A Case Study of Work from Home in Japan before the COVID-19 Epidemic

Abstract

Telecommuting increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. To make telecommuting the “new normal,” it is essential to not only change the legal system and employment contracts but also reform organizational processes. Prior research has demonstrated a positive correlation between telecommuting and perceived autonomy using questionnaire surveys, but the lack of a widely accepted measurement scale to capture the reality of telecommuting has hindered the capacity to understand its current status. In this study, we conducted unstructured interview surveys to elucidate the mechanisms of the relationship of perceived autonomy and telecommuting, while focusing on perceived autonomy in organizational processes. The paper is organized as follows: it reviews previous studies on telecommuting and describes the related advantages and disadvantages; examines changes in the environment and attitudes based on interviews conducted with employed telecommuters; examines changes in telecommuters’ attitudes toward perceived autonomy.