Determinants of managerial perceptions of the impact of telework: The effect of information communication technology support, trust, and frequency of communication

Abstract

Considering teleworking's pros and cons on organizational performance and the importance of managers on teleworking maintenance, this study aims to analyze three resources that influence managers' perceptions of teleworkers' effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a sample of 170 small and medium enterprise managers in Spain, the hypotheses were empirically tested through path analysis, and the model was estimated using the maximum likelihood method. Based on the job demands-resources model, this study contributes to the teleworking literature by demonstrating how the frequency of communication with teleworkers and managers' trust in employees are positively related to managers' perceptions of the organizational impact of teleworking. These relationships are not direct but are mediated by the perceived effectiveness of organizational communication. These findings have important managerial implications as they indicate the context that ensures managers' support for teleworking. Although this study has some limitations, such as its focus on a specific country or its cross-sectional nature, it lays the foundation for future studies considering individual, organizational, or sectoral variables that could moderate the analyzed relationships.