An Investigation of the Relationship between Workplace Isolation and Engagement Among Teleworkers
Year: 2012
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Teleworking is an alternate work arrangement that has transformed the workplace that allows workers to fulfill their job assignment from any location away from the traditional office. Although this work arrangement has been growing in popularity due to various factors such as concerns for the environment, advances in communication technologies, and the globalization of the workforce, there are growing concerns that frequent use of teleworking may cause increase perceptions of feeling isolated (Golden et al., 2008; Marshall et al., 2007;Golden & Veiga, 2006; Copper & Kurland, 2002). Additionally little or no research has been conducted on how feeling isolated influence engagement among teleworkers.
The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the relationship between workplace isolation and engagement and to determine to what extend there is a relationship between workplace isolation and gender among teleworkers. An online survey consisting of the Workplace Isolation Scale (Marshall, et al., 2007), Employee Engagement Scale (DDI, 2005) and demographic factors was used to investigate the relationship between workplace isolation and engagement and used to determine the relationship between workplace isolation and gender among 472 teleworkers. Using a correlational research design, the survey data was analyzed and showed a statistically significant relationship between workplace isolation and employee engagement. Workplace isolation scores were shown to have a strong negative correlation with employee engagement scores. A regression analysis was conducted with employee engagement as the dependent variable and workplace isolation as the independent variable. The result of the regression analysis was significant in that workplace isolation scores predicted employee engagement scores. Additionally, a two- independent-sample t test was conducted to determine if there was enough evidence to suggest the mean workplace isolation scores were related to gender. The results of the t test were inconclusive. However using descriptive statistics techniques the researcher discovered respondents who teleworked 3 to 5 days a week had lower workplace isolation means scores than those who teleworked 1, 2, and 4 days a week. Leaders of organizations could use the result of this study to assist in the development of teleworking strategies that not only target reducing workplace isolation perceptions to enhance engagement for teleworkers, but also to address possible issues related to increased perceptions of isolation across gender.
Source: SSRN Electronic Journal
Author: Russell A. Davis
Institution: Columbia Southern University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2737300134