Teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic: the job demands and job resources associated with telework outcomes

Abstract

Objective: One of the most visible changes of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the swift and widespread adoption of telework. Existing knowledge on teleworking has been largely limited to employees from certain occupational groups who voluntarily engaged in telework, making it difficult to generalise prior findings. Using the Job-Demands Resources model as a theoretical framework, the objective of this study was to identify the job demands and job resources associated with telework satisfaction and telework performance during the pandemic. Method: During a period of enforced teleworking during COVID-19 lockdown measures, this study surveyed employed individuals (N = 208) from Melbourne (Australia). Results: Using ordinal logistic regression analyses, it was found that three job resources (home office comfort, technical support, and job security) were positively associated with both telework satisfaction and telework performance. Further, technical resources (job resource) was positively associated with telework satisfaction, whereas professional isolation (job demand) was negatively associated with telework satisfaction. Conclusions: During a mandated period of telework, this study identified several factors associated with important telework outcomes. As there has been a greater uptake of remote and hybrid working arrangements in Australia post-pandemic, these findings could help inform and optimise future telework policies.