Workforce

Study: Customer satisfaction drives telework

According to a new study from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the main benefit to people who work from home at least three days a week is a better balanc...

Federal News Network Staff

December 14, 2010 6:00 am

< a min read

When comparing federal workers who telework to those who don’t, there is one major difference: Job satisfaction.

According to a new study from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the main benefit to people who work from home at least three days a week is a better balance between life and work.

Kathryn Fonner, a UWM assistant professor of communication and study co-author, says employees working remotely have less distractions and don’t have to deal with some of the stresses of the workplace, including office politics, interruptions and meetings.

“Our findings emphasize the advantages of restricted face-to-face interaction, and also highlight the need for organizations to identify and address the problematic and unsatisfying issues inherent in collocated work environments,” Fonner says.

“With lower stress and fewer distractions, employees can prevent work from seeping into their personal lives.”

The biggest disadvantage of telework? The study says alienation from workplace communication.