Teleworkers more satisfied compared to office-based employees: Study

WASHINGTON - A new study has found that employees who telecommute the majority of the workweek are more satisfied with their jobs compared to those working mostly in the office because working remotely alleviates more stress than it creates.

The study, conducted by Kathryn Fonner, assistant professor of communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and Michael Roloff, a professor of communication studies at Northwestern University, compared the advantages and disadvantages of each work arrangement.

The main benefit reported by participants who telework at least three days a week is the decreased work-life conflict that a flexible work arrangement allows.

Teleworkers reported exchanging information with others less frequently than office-based employees, but both groups reported similar timely access to important work-related information.

Results of the study pointed to multiple reasons why telework is linked to high job satisfaction, namely that employees working remotely are, on average, shielded from much of the distracting and stressful aspects of the workplace, such as office politics, interruptions, constant meetings and information overload, says Fonner.

The finding appears in the November issue of the Journal of Applied Communication Research, published by the National Communication Association. (ANI)