TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding the bright side and the dark side of telework

T2 - An empirical analysis of working conditions and psychosomatic health complaints

AU - Wöhrmann, Anne Marit

AU - Ebner, Christian

PY - 2021/11

Y1 - 2021/11

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - disturbances and interruptions

KW - mental health

KW - path analysis

KW - psychosomatic health complaints

KW - social relationships

KW - telecommuting

KW - telework

KW - time pressure

KW - working time

KW - Management studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109885946&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/ntwe.12208

DO - 10.1111/ntwe.12208

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85109885946

VL - 36

SP - 348

EP - 370

JO - New Technology, Work and Employment

JF - New Technology, Work and Employment

SN - 0268-1072

IS - 3

ER -