Out of sight, out of mind in a new world of work? Autonomy, control and spatiotemporal scaling in telework
(2015) Organization Studies — Vol. 36, n° 11, p. 1507-1529 (2015)
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- Authors
- Abstract
- We draw on the geographical concepts of social space, territoriality, and distantiation to examine an apparent tension inherent in telework: i.e., using information and communication technologies to work away from traditional workplaces can give employees a greater sense of autonomy while simultaneously placing new constraints on the way they conduct themselves in settings that were previously beyond the reach of managerial control. We draw on a longitudinal case study of a Belgian biopharmaceutical company to show how technical and professional teleworkers developed broadly similar strategies of spatiotemporal scaling to cope with this tension. We conclude by considering how these scaling strategies allowed employees to cope with the demands of ‘hybrid’ work that is conducted both at home and in traditional settings.
- Affiliations
Louvain School of Management Strategy and Organisation
Citations
Sewell, G., & Taskin, L. (2015). Out of sight, out of mind in a new world of work? Autonomy, control and spatiotemporal scaling in telework. Organization Studies, 36(11), 1507-1529. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840615593587 (Original work published 2015)