Dynamics of Teleworking and Impact on Stakeholders in the Current Pandemic Context

Abstract

The exponential development of information and communication technology (ICT) through computer networks, Wi-Fi systems, wireless signals, and information storage systems has contributed to the transition to the so-called new economy, which is becoming increasingly digital and global. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking has begun to dramatically change the work dynamics for all stakeholders. The aim of this research was to identify the main impacting factors and their level of influence in relation to the macroeconomic context of teleworking, public policies, and the legal framework regarding quality of life, as well as the effects of teleworking on employees and employers. Through empirical research, we explored the perspectives of employees and employers as main stakeholders who had operated in the teleworking field within Suceava County in Romania during 2020. In this regard, we undertook exploratory research, the results of which were processed using SPSS v.20. The insightful results have practical implications for the labor market, where an obvious increase in the share of teleworking in the total forms of work has already occurred, and the relations between employer and employee are expected to become based more and more on cooperation and less on subordination. The results also revealed an important tendency of employees to appreciate the positive effects of teleworking on other aspects of life.

1. Introduction

The theory of the digital economy complements the classical one, but brings major changes in terms of the typology of resources, their share, and the rate of their use. Major coordinates of the resource-based economy (such as space and time) are no longer limitative for work in the digital age [1,2,3]. The digital economy is characterized by radical changes in the nature of work and labor relations, with profound implications for people’s work and lifestyle. The labor market has experienced strong development in the last decade, tending to globalize. Teleworking, teleactivities, telesocialization, etc., represent modern activities, characteristic of an information-centric society based on knowledge, which Romania also aims to achieve [4]. The degree of extension of teleworking depends on a multitude of factors, among which a key role is played by the agreement between employees and employers. Undoubtedly, in the current pandemic context, teleworking has been a means of maintaining an important aspect of human capital and continuing the implementation of new information and communication technologies. Therefore, it is a way to avoid a complete paralysis of economic activities, at least in industries that have embraced this approach. In this context, there are two backing measures that support this form of organization and development of work: an appropriate legislative framework—in this regard, many countries have had to make adjustments to labor market legislation to facilitate the expansion of remote work, including Romania, as well as the essential role of the agreement between employees and employers in organizing work and sharing working time. Thus, in recent years, teleworking has mainly developed informally, without any changes in the employment contracts, taking advantage of the lack of a specific legal framework. In the context of the existing changes in the forms of work organization in the last three decades, certain key features are delineated, including flexibility, information and communication technologies (ICT), individualization, and individual skills [5,6].

The context of the current crises (sanitary, security, and energy) has accelerated the process of work digitalization all over the world. Because of this, fundamental changes occur at all levels of individuals’ lives. Personal life and work are two interdependent components, and to ensure a high standard of living, it is imperative to achieve their balance. However, with the onset of the crises, the balance between work and personal life was strongly shaken. In these moments, we must call for moderation and caution in the actions undertaken at any level, for both individuals and companies [7,8,9,10,11].

Controversies regarding the effectiveness of telework are not surprising due to the associated complexity, as well as the dichotomy of potential benefits/disadvantages that is associated with it [12]. The way companies perceive and develop this work method and the multiple implications it generates through affective, behavioral, and motivational determinism depend on the specificity of the activity, managerial ability, and decision-making competence. Employees’ dissatisfaction with work implies an increasingly high cost, both at the microeconomic level, by negatively affecting the companies’ performances, and at the macroeconomic level, implying high costs related to the assistance provided. We argue that the importance of the telework approach in mitigating conflicts such as aspirations vs. achievements, autonomy vs. control, and family vs. professional life is fundamental for minimizing disadvantages and maximizing well-being at the individual, family, and employer levels [8,13,14].

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of telework on the well-being of employees as a sine qua non condition of increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of their work. Given that the well-being assessment models proposed in various studies in the field have presented partial answers to the addressed topic, being sparingly treated in relation to telework, this research expands the dimensions and analysis factors using an integrative model, which validates partial results obtained by other authors [10,15,16]. In its implementation, we returned to the elaboration of a telework scale based on its benefits and characteristics [12,17]. We also considered the identification of direct relationships between the dimensions of telework and those of work performance and counterproductive work behavior [18,19], respectively, indirectly, through mediating constructs such as employees’ self-regulation capacity [20] and professional isolation [21]. This research emphasizes the importance of some beneficial and disadvantageous characteristics of telework with potential implications on work results [12,17,22,23,24].

For the past decade, researchers have emphasized that telecommuting brings with it countless advantages and disadvantages [24]. The option to work remotely can contribute to increasing the work autonomy with which employees are satisfied [22], which generates an increase in their performance [21], increases their autonomy in organizing activities [25], and leaves them time to spend with their families [26]. Thus, the employee can achieve a favorable balance between work and life [27]. The independence in carrying out the tasks and the flexibility of the time allocated to work converge towards what can be called telework autonomy [28].

Telecommuting involves reduced interaction with colleagues and supervisors due to physical distance [21]. When working in the office, employees constantly interact during breaks and during tasks through formal and informal exchanges of information, meetings, and gatherings. Through telecommuting, this interaction is drastically reduced [24]. Practicing telework for a long period of time can generate unwanted personal effects, such as professional isolation [29], pressure from the family or the supervisor to carry out tasks [30], conflicts in the work and family dimensions [31], and increased stress [32]. These individual implications are also reflected in work outcomes and, implicitly, in employees’ performance, their organizational commitment, or their intention to leave the workplace [33]. It is important to consider the implications of telework on work relationships with supervisors and colleagues.

This paper fills a research gap by analyzing and statistically testing the implications of telework. Its characteristics were grouped into two dimensions, and we focused on several issues, such as occupational isolation, individual work performance, and counterproductive behaviors, highlighting the links between telework dimensions and self-regulation of employee quality of life, which has previously been only superficially studied. The investigation of the specialized literature revealed the existence of a limited number of multidimensional models dedicated to evaluating the impact of telework on the well-being of employees. In addition, during their elaboration, we noticed ambiguities in the definitions of the considered dimensions, their incoherent framing, and the unexplained inclusion of aspects with similar contents in different categories. The contribution and originality of this article are due to the fact that an empirical study was carried out beyond the sphere of occupational stress, analyzing, in general, the ways in which telework affects the well-being of employees. We evaluated this on various levels.

This paper is divided into five inherently interdependent parts, as follows: first is the introductory part, through which we described the usefulness/necessity of the research and defined the general purpose of the paper. In the second part, we summarize the literature on the implementation of telework practices across the world, the factors that influence the efficiency of telework, and the advantages and disadvantages of stakeholders involved in the telework phenomenon. Within the third part, we focus on an empirical analysis of the economic and social impact of teleworking, as well as the development of a database consisting of economic entities that have introduced teleworking as a measure to deal with the crisis context. Thus, teleworking has been used by companies to provide security for their employees and to ensure the continuity of their own economic activity. The research design, the chosen research methodology, the sampling, the data collection, and the analysis methods are presented, in detail, in the fourth part of the study. In the Section 5, the main results, findings, and discussions are summarized.

2. Literature Review

2.1. The Relevance of the Telework Process in the Current Pandemic Context

Telework is a concept considered to be relatively new, but its genesis dates back to 1973. The scientist Jack M. Nilles is behind the story of telework; in early 1973, he received a grant to investigate the Development of (Public) Policy on the Telecommunications–Transport Tradeoff [34]. Later, Nilles invented the concepts of telecommunication and telecommuting in order to shorten the name of the project. Nowadays, teleworking remains an unknown concept for a very small part of the population. According to Taskin’s definition, “telework is the pursuit of a professional activity, in whole or in part from distance, and through ICT” [35,36]. The above definition combines three different aspects and characterizes telework by: distance, meaning a spatial and/or temporal dispersion; the frequency of arrangement; and the use of ICT. Thus, in recent years, telework has developed mainly informally, without any change in the employment contract, which takes advantage of the lack of a specific legal framework.

Therefore, the development trend of telework is driven not only by technical progress, but also by cultural changes, as the workers themselves demand greater flexibility. Both in response to the internal problems of the business world and as a strategy for transport demand management, telework is, as mentioned earlier, gaining a growing level of acceptance in the world. In the United States, the Federal Government and the states of California, Hawaii, Washington, Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and Connecticut are in various stages of institutionalization, implementation, planning, and research of the teleworking programs.

Many other programs are under development, involving local governments and/or the private sector. Significant efforts to implement telework are also being made in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, France, and other European countries, as well as in Japan and Australia [37]. From an etymological point of view, telework can have two roots: telecommuting, which is the term preferred by the European Community to describe remote work using ICT, and teleworking, a term preferred by the USA. This does not mean that the two terms are not used in both Europe and the USA, nor that their meanings are not identical. Teleworking is often considered an abstract concept in the context of a large variety of options for working remotely. Each of the remote work options is classified according to the impact on transport and to the managerial implications. The forms of remote work can be divided into work at home and work outside the home.

Bailey and Kurland (2002) [38] analyzed 80 empirical studies on telework, concluding that little clear evidence is available to show that telework is linked to increased job satisfaction and productivity. A recent study also indicated that telework has no effect on productivity, which was assessed by a supervisor in a quasi-field experiment [39]. Another concern regarding teleworking is that it can intensify work–family conflicts and increase stress, as it blurs the boundaries between home and work [40,41,42,43,44].

Mirchandani (2000) [45] argued that working from home is a cause of anxiety and stress, because homeworkers need to integrate their professional and family activities. One concern regarding telework is that the lack of interactions with colleagues can lead to social isolation and can aggravate individual and group performance [46].

Moore (2006) [47] showed that working from home does not improve quality of life in terms of subjective or objective well-being, reporting that home workers involved in part-time, low-paid work and those with young children are more stressed. Previous research has also suggested that the effect of flexible working differs according to gender; family life conflict and stress are more pronounced for women and single parents because they are more likely to work at home for reasons such as childcare [40,48].

The concept of remote management is essential for telecommuting or teleworking. The biggest obstacle to employers’ acceptance of telecommuting is undoubtedly the answer to the question: “How do we know they are working?” [49]. If it is demonstrated that other forms of work have similar managerial requirements, telework may be more easily accepted. Moreover, some management techniques associated with other forms of work could be adapted to telework.

Although a relatively popular belief about telework is that it improves employees’ quality of life and improves work–life balance, there is, however, no consensus in the literature as to whether this view is generally accepted by employees. On the one hand, most studies have found that working from home is beneficial for both firms and employees, and even for the urban economy [25,50,51]. Working from home is associated with increased perceptions of autonomy [52], higher productivity [53], greater work–life balance, and less stress [54,55,56,57], as well as higher employee satisfaction and better job performance [58]. Furthermore, the positive effect of telecommuting on work–life balance is greater for those who work longer, stay at home more often, and have more family responsibilities [59,60].

Concerning the issue of “out of sight, out of mind”, homeworkers have less time to interact with managers, which can jeopardize their assessments, limit their promotion opportunities, and limit their results under stressful conditions [32,61].

Taking into account the aspects highlighted above, within the specialized literature, we considered it relevant for our exploratory study to answer the following questions:

Q1: What are the main advantages and disadvantages of telework, as perceived by employees and employers?

Q2: To what extent does the variation of the opinions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of telework correlate with the level of satisfaction perceived by employees?

Q3: To what extent does the variation of the opinions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of telework correlate with the level of efficiency perceived by employees?

Q4: Are there significant differences between the level of satisfaction perceived by employees according to gender, provenance background, or sector in which they work?

Q5: How do employers assess the impact of telework on enterprise performance?

Q6: To what extent does the variation of opinions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of telework correlate with the level of enterprise performance assessed by employers?

2.2. Incursion on Telework Factors and Policies in the Current Period

Some institutions and universities have adopted the concept of telework since their foundation. An eloquent example of this is given by the Open University (OU) in the UK, which was created for distance learning since its inception, continuing its research work from a distance. In 2008, OU installed a semi-autonomous astronomical telescope at the Astronomical Observatory in Mallorca, Spain, where observation conditions are, on average, much better than anywhere else in the UK. Due to the fact that students could not regularly participate in a project called Pirate, OU installed remote observation and control, which greatly improved students’ access to the project. According to the representative model of Baruch and Nicholson (1997) [62], we considered it necessary to mention the most important parameters that influence telework: individual factors, workplace factors, organizational factors, and family/home factors. They stressed that these factors must be met in order for telework to become feasible and efficient. In addition to the four factors mentioned, technology plays a pivotal role in the development of telework, because technological infrastructure is necessary during telework. Thus, in the current epidemiological conditions, a new set of factors is becoming individualized, completing the traditional/classical model: environmental, legal, and safety factors.

The importance of the researched subject also derives from the fact that in the current period, telework has grown with the increase in social distancing measures and rules, as employees are encouraged to work from home. Regarding the costs incurred by employers, we cannot say definitively that they are reduced due to the fact that meal vouchers are no longer paid, employees are no longer reimbursed for transport to work, etc., but they remain approximately the same because employers must provide employees with the minimum conditions necessary to carry out their work in an optimal way for their company.

In terms of safety, from the employee’s perspective, they seem to be satisfied with the way they are treated, and they have their families close at almost any time of the day. However, for proper efficiency, teamwork is sometimes necessary; for some employees, this may be a disadvantage due to objective reasons (poor internet connection due to the area in which they live, simultaneous unavailability of team members, etc.) [63,64].

Telework policies can be an essential part of any business continuity plan. In the case of an unforeseen event (e.g., extreme weather, terrorism, pandemic) that could prevent employees from working in regular offices or at work, the possibility of teleworking allows them to work off-site and to keep the organization operational. According to Bratianu (2020) [65], while the pandemic caused by infection with the new COVID-19 continued to spread around the world, its impact on labor markets was vast, affecting most people in various positions in organizations. For many workers, the introduction of physical distancing measures, blockages, and related restrictions to smooth out the infection curve has had atrocious consequences, including the introduction of mandatory measures of uncertain duration, meetings, reduced working hours and wages, redundancies, and, in some cases, job losses and business closures [9].

However, for a significant segment of the active population, the pandemic has led to a sharp increase in workload, as well as to major changes in the employment contracts and working conditions, such as the recourse to telework. From the analysis of some surveys conducted in March 2020, regarding the collective agreements and the responses given by companies, it can be deduced that no company had specifically designed plans to solve emergencies such as the one that occurred due to the appearance of the pandemic. There are examples of companies that have planned and approved telework protocols, mostly related to home/family factors and reorganization needs (job restructuring or technological innovation) [66]. Most companies that have previously implemented telework have included this practice in their collective agreements. However, the COVID-19 crisis has forced those companies to implement telework on a massive scale, an aspect which is still a major challenge for their management.

2.3. Stakeholders’ Plurivalence in Optimizing the Telework Process

The extension degree of telework depends on a multitude of factors, among which a key role is played by the agreement between employees and employers. Telework applies in different proportions to all categories of workers. Within non-essential workers, several categories can be distinguished, depending on the possibility of transferring the activity to smaller working groups or transitioning to telework, as well as the level of professional training. Studies carried out during the early stages of the pandemic in countries with consolidated market economies, such as the Netherlands, showed that, in the case of non-essential staff, there was a tendency to reduce the number of working hours. At the same time, the share of teleworking has increased significantly due to the reduction in the duration of work performed in standard conditions, in companies’ offices.

The propensity for teleworking is higher among employees with higher education and academic experience compared to those with secondary education and low-skilled workers [67]. Therefore, it can be concluded that the possibility of expanding telework is conditioned by the level of professional training and access to information and communication technologies of the active population, as well as by the structure of each country’s economy. Alipour et al. (2020) [68] revealed that in Germany, the possibility of teleworking differs depending not only on the environment of residence, but also on the level of development of the land, with a difference between the lands in the west and the lands in the east. At the EU level, for example, it can be highlighted that in 2018, the share of telework in terms of the total number of hours worked was 14.9% for the European Union as a whole. The lowest values (less than 1%) were estimated for Romania and Bulgaria, and the highest for the Netherlands (36%) and Sweden (33%). Values lower than 10% were registered in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Greece, and over 20% in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Finland. In the case of Germany, this indicator was estimated, for the economy as a whole, at a value of 56%, distributed as follows: a 9% degree of extension of normally performed telework, a 16% degree of extension of telework performed occasionally, and 30% representing unused potential for telework. As for branches of work, levels of over 70% of the potential use of telework were estimated for real estate businesses (71%); financial and insurance services (89%); educational services (72%); information and communications (85%); and scientific, technical and professional services (76%). These proportions represent the maximum levels which can be reached from a technical point of view in exceptional economic and social conditions. Dingel and Neiman (2020) [69] estimate that in the US, about 34% of job duties, which represents a share of 44% in salaries paid, can be completed through telework. In the case of the American economy, the differentiation of the possibilities in performing telework is also noticeable, depending on the specifics of the activities, the levels of qualification within the labor force, the living environment, and the level of development of the state.

2.4. Digitalization of Work and Communication—A Tool to Support Business

A digitalized society is made up of several complementary elements: a digitalized workforce, which is more productive and attractive to investors, bringing added value to the economy; digitalized entrepreneurs, with the ability to capitalize on new technologies and connect to export markets; a digitalized state, which provides transparency and efficient and quality services for its citizens; and digitalized citizens, who are informed and involved in their communities.

The widespread use of information and communication technology (ICT) and, consequently, increasing investment in this field, have given rise to the paradox of ICT productivity, which is growing at a rate below expectations and may, therefore, lead to the possibility of non-recovery of the incurred expenses. This is due to the fact that there is a difference, sometimes quite large, between “technology offered” (what is bought and installed) and “technology used” (what employees understand how to use, according to the degree of training, culture, and adaptation). In order to determine the full potential use of ICT and to reduce the risk generated by the computerization of society, due to possible economic failures, the permanent education of all workers is necessary. At the same time, as mentioned earlier, Baruch and Nicholson [62] included technology as a key factor for telework. They analyzed the suitability of technology for specific work roles. In this context, IT intensity is taken into account in telework processes. Increased uses of ICT and technological improvement have enabled the development of telework. The previous research on the effects of ICT on telework has shown that there is a positive relationship between technology and the ability to work outside of employers’ premises.

3. Materials and Methods

3.1. The Purpose, Objectives, and Hypotheses of the Research

The purpose of this research was to identify the main influencing factors and their levels of influence in terms of teleworking activity in Suceava County, from the perspectives of both employees and employers, in the current economic and social context.

The research carried out herein had, in essence, a qualitative purpose. Thus, we aimed to obtain a basis for analysis to outline guidelines on the importance of teleworking for the development of business environment, highlighting social and psychological factors impacting the employee as well as advantages and disadvantages of the employer in the context of telework, at the level of Suceava County. To achieve the general purpose of the research, we defined a series of specific objectives:

O1—Identification of the main advantages and disadvantages of telework perceived by employees and employers;

O2—Identification of the main changes in the management of telework companies;

O3—Identification of the factors that allow for the description of the employees’ perception of the activity being carried out in the context of telework;

O4—Identification of the social and psychological factors that influence the description of employees’ perceptions in the context of telework;

O5—Identification of the interconnection between the advantages and disadvantages of telework and the level of the enterprise’s performance from the employer’s perspective.

This study was conducted on the basis of a sample of 270 respondents, of which 243 worked/were active in telework in Suceava County in 2020. In addition, 27 economic entities, with employers who chose telework as a form of business, ensured a sampling error of up to 5%. In this regard, in determining the size of the sample submitted for research, there are a number of conditioning factors, such as the degree of homogeneity of the community, the size of the representativeness error, and the probability of guaranteeing the results.

The chosen sampling method was random probabilistic sampling, which was identified according to the principle of ensuring equal opportunities for the inclusion of all respondents in the sample. In other words, in the case of random sampling, the choice is made in a purely random way through a mechanism that eliminates subjective human intervention or any other action that could introduce factors that favor the choice of some individuals and disadvantage, or even exclude, the choice of others [70]. Within the research itself, in any study on this sample, the results were obtained with a certain margin of error and inherent risks, so we proposed a 95% confidence interval, resulting in a probability coefficient of z = 1.96, deviation ± 5%, (0.5), and a sample volume of 270 respondents. The sample is relevant because the included individuals possess the essential characteristics of the population targeted by our research. Thus, in order to discover the opinions of employees and employers working in telework in Suceava County in 2020, we investigated the results of 270 respondents. It resulted that 114 questionnaires were invalid due to non-compliance with the criterion of completeness of data/omissions of answers to certain items, employees/respondents not practicing telework, etc.

The relevance of the researched topic is justified on the basis of the following research hypotheses:

(H1). 

At the level of the community of employees working in telework regimes in Suceava County, a set of psycho-socio-economic factors can be identified that allow for the description of their perception on the activities in the context of telework.

(H2). 

At the level of the community of employees working in telework regimes in Suceava County, direct links between the variation of opinions can be identified regarding the advantages and disadvantages of telework with the level of satisfaction perceived by employees.

(H3). 

There are direct links between the variation of opinions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the telework regime and the performance of the enterprise evaluated by employers.

(H4). 

At the level of the community of employees working in telework regime in Suceava County, direct links can be identified between the variation of opinions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of telework with the level of efficiency perceived by employees.

(H5). 

There are significant differences, at the level of the community of employees working in Suceava County, between the evaluation of efficiency and the level of satisfaction perceived by employees according to the variables of age and sector of activity in which they operate.

(H6). 

There are significant differences, at the level of the community of employees working in Suceava County, between the evaluation of efficiency and the level of satisfaction perceived by employees according to the variables of gender and background provenance of employees.

3.2. The Research Instrument

The community investigated in this research consisted of 2 groups of subjects (namely, 243 employees in telework and 27 employers in Suceava County, operating in teleworking on the local market in 2020) because we considered that in this way, we would maximize the chances of obtaining relevant and informed answers. The materials and working methods used in the research itself are in close interdependence with the purpose and with the objectives pursued. The research method used the questionnaire, with online administration, as a tool for data collection.

Therefore, the questionnaire consisted of four parts, which contained a total of 26 questions, 8 respondent identification items, and 70 closed items, each representing a variable of the researched topic, with evaluation on a Likert scale from 1 to 5:

Part I—respondents’ perception of teleworking (concept, importance, and representativeness);

Part II—employees’ perception of the impact of telework on socio-economic development, advantages, disadvantages, efficiency, and digitalization;

Part III—employers’ perception of the components of telework, its performance, the adaptability of employees in the context of telework, advantages, disadvantages, and methods for evaluating employees’ efficiency;

Part IV—the respondents’ perception of the following components of teleworking: safety, legislation, work schedule, and field of activity.

4. Processing and Interpretation of Results

4.1. Analysis and Correlations of Variables

In order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting, the questionnaire included specific items for representatives of both employees and employers. The employees evaluated the proposed items on a 5-level Likert scale, and the employers responded on a binary scale (yes/no) to the addressed items. The synthesis of the results is presented in

Table 1. Evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of the telework regime.

Average scores given by employees for the items describing the advantages of the telework regime
Lower costs	3.2840
Flexible management	2.9630
Increased resistance to external factors	2.9177
Increased productivity	2.7942
Greater staff stability	2.7078
Average scores given by employees for the items describing the disadvantages of the telework regime
Lack of relationship with colleagues	3.2593
Loss of contact with customers	3.0000
Working overtime	2.9465
Imbalance between professional and personal life	2.8272
Technical difficulties	2.7984
Reduced productivity	2.7202
Higher costs for equipment safety	2.6955
The difficulty of organizing operative meetings	2.6296
The risk of not advancing in one’s career	2.5844
The proportion of positive answers for the items describing the advantages of the telework regime from the perspective of employers
Flexible work schedule	0.5185
No delays due to traffic	0.5185
A better balance between work and family life	0.4444
Lower working time and costs	0.4074
Avoiding medical leave	0.2222
The possibility of participating in the activities of local communities	0.0370
Better focus and workflow optimization, resulting in higher productivity	0.0000
The proportion of positive answers for the items describing the disadvantages of the telework regime from the employers’ perspective
Isolation, marginalization, and lack of information regarding company life	0.6667
Changing personal and family habits	0.5926
The risk of devoting too much time to work	0.4074
Loss of public subsidies	0.2222

Source: authors’ research.

.

From the perspective of the employees, the highest average scores given to the items describing the advantages of the telework regime were for lower costs, flexible management, and increased resistance to external factors. These results indicate that employees appreciate that the telework regime allows them to better optimize the direct and indirect costs associated with gainful activity, but also the fact that this regime gives them greater security in the current context of the pandemic generated by SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the employees evaluated the flexibility in the ways of coordinating the activities by the hierarchical bosses, giving them high scores.

We were also able to identify a relatively similar perspective from the answers of the employers’ representatives. They, most frequently, indicated the following items as advantages of the telework regime: flexible work schedule, lack of delays when commuting to work due to traffic, and a better balance between work and family life. Employers emphasized the flexibility of this work regime, which allows for better time management by the employee and provides the prerequisites for a better balance between work and family life.

From the perspective of the disadvantages indicated by the employees, the items that obtained the highest scores were a lack of relationships with colleagues, loss of contact with customers, and working overtime. The social relationship aspect seems to be the major disadvantage, as it also negatively influences the development of commercial relationships, especially in areas where direct relationships with customers are important. The telework regime has also led to the need to work additional hours, as some of the activities that previously could be carried out in a short time at the workplace require additional intermediate steps in the telework regime that lead to an increase in the time interval allocated to the task. The impact on social life seems to be the main disadvantage of telecommuting from the perspective of employers as well. The following items were indicated most frequently: isolation, marginalization, lack of information regarding company life, modification of personal and family habits, and the risk of devoting too much time to work.

To analyze the correlations between the items describing the advantages and disadvantages of the telework regime from the employees’ perspective and how they evaluate the efficiency and the level of satisfaction, we used the Spearman rank correlation coefficient, presented in

Table 2. Analysis of the correlations between the items describing the advantages and disadvantages of the telework regime and the levels of efficiency and satisfaction reported by employees.

The Advantages of the Telework Regime	Spearman Coefficients that Measure the Rank Correlations of:
	Telework Efficiency	Telework Satisfaction
Lower costs	0.031	0.111
Increased productivity	0.404 **	0.402 **
Greater staff stability	0.285 **	0.297 **
Flexible management	0.217 **	0.268 **
Increased resistance to external factors	0.188 **	0.241 **
Disadvantages of the telework regime
Loss of contact with customers	−0.111	−0.056
The difficulty of organizing operative meetings	−0.133 *	−0.132 *
Reducing productivity	−0.141 *	−0.180 **
Higher costs for equipment safety	−0.116	−0.118
Lack of relationship with colleagues	−0.166 **	−0.134 *
Technical difficulties	−0.023	−0.062
Working overtime	0.056	−0.048
The risk of not advancing in one’s career	−0.141 *	−0.179 **

** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level. * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level.

. The identified correlations are generally of weak to medium intensity, and some of them are statistically significant, with significance coefficients of 5% and 1%, respectively.

The highest values of the coefficients were identified for the correlations analyzed between the items that evaluated the advantages of the telework regime, the rank variation of the evaluation of telework efficiency, and the level of satisfaction acknowledged by the employees. It was found that the perception of increasing productivity in telework is positively correlated with the efficiency and satisfaction perceived by the employees. The same positive correlation was also identified in relation to the advantages, namely, greater staff stability and flexible management; however, in this case, the intensity of the correlation decreased, although it remained statistically significant.

In general, the items that identify the disadvantages of the telework regime are negatively correlated with the variation in the evaluation ranks of telework efficiency and the level of satisfaction perceived by employees. These correlations are either of weak intensity or not statistically significant. The lack of relationship with colleagues seems to be the disadvantage that correlates the most with the decrease in the efficiency of and satisfaction with the work performed by the employees.

To evaluate the efficiency perceived by employees, we obtained an average of ranks of 137.91 for employees in the age group of 18–25 years and an average of 95.99 for employees in the age group of 46–60 years, which indicates a significant difference between the five age categories which were compared (Sig. = 0.014). The lowest score, which was obviously different from those of the previous age groups was found among employees in the 46–60 age group, and indicated the reluctance of employees over the age of 46 to adopt this work regime from the perspective of perceived efficiency. Regarding the evaluation of satisfaction, no significant differences were identified from the perspective of age groups, the significance value of the Kruskal–Wallis test being 0.238 (scores are presented in

Table 3. Kruskal–Wallis test for the difference in the evaluation ranks of efficiency and satisfaction, depending on the age group.

	Age	N	Mean Rank
Evaluation of telework efficiency by employees	18–25 years old	92	137.91
	26–35 years old	36	121.01
	36–45 years old	59	121.16
	46–60 years	45	95.99
	over 60 years	11	103.09
	Total	243
Evaluation of the satisfaction with telecommuting by employees	18–25 years old	92	134.78
	26–35 years old	36	116.17
	36–45 years old	59	112.49
	46–60 years	45	113.83
	over 60 years	11	118.59
	Total	243

).

A differentiation according to the sector of activity (

Table 4. The Kruskal–Wallis test for the difference between the evaluation ranks of efficiency and satisfaction, according to the activity sector.

	Sector	N	Mean Rank
To what extent do you consider telecommuting effective compared to daily work (1—the lowest value and 5—the highest value)?	Private	69	139.63
	Mixed	21	128.02
	Public	153	113.22
	Total	243
On an ordinal scale from 1 to 5 (1—totally dissatisfied and 5—totally satisfied), your level of satisfaction with telecommuting is:	Private	69	133.83
	Mixed	21	138.36
	Public	153	114.42
	Total	243

) was found only in the case of the evaluation of the efficiency perceived by the employees. In the case of employees in the public sector, we found an average of ranks which was significantly lower than that in the case of the other two analyzed sectors; the significance coefficient of the test was 0.028. Regarding the evaluation of satisfaction, the differences found were no longer significant from a statistical point of view, with the value of the coefficient of significance exceeding the threshold of 0.05.

From the perspective of the environment of origin (data presented in

Table 5. Mann–Whitney U test for the difference in the evaluation ranks of efficiency and satisfaction, according to employees’ provenience environments.

	Provenience Environment	N	Mean Rank	Sum of Ranks
Evaluation of telework efficiency by employees	rural	77	126.27	9723.00
	urban	166	120.02	19,923.00
	Total	243
Evaluation of the satisfaction of the telecommuting activity by the employees	rural	77	129.05	9937.00
	urban	166	118.73	19,709.00
	Total	243

), no significant differences were identified from a statistical point of view regarding the evaluation of the levels of efficiency of and satisfaction with the activities carried out in the telecommuting regime by employees.

The same situation of non-differentiation that was found in the employees’ perceptions of the efficiency and in their evaluations of satisfaction with the activities carried out in the telework regime was also found when grouping according to gender (data are presented in

Table 6. The Mann–Whitney U test for the difference in the evaluation ranks of efficiency and satisfaction, according to the genders of the employees.

	Gender	N	Mean Rank	Sum of Ranks
Evaluation of telework efficiency by employees	Feminine	159	122.39	19,459.50
	Masculine	84	121.27	10,186.50
	Total	243
Evaluation of the satisfaction with the telecommuting activity by employees	Feminine	159	120.24	19,117.50
	Masculine	84	125.34	10,528.50
	Total	243

).

Regarding the analysis of the correlations between the items describing the advantages and disadvantages identified by the employers, in the case of the activities carried out in the telework regime and their effects on the company’s performance, low values of the calculated correlation coefficients were identified, which, in most cases, were statistically insignificant (data presented in

Table 7. Analysis of the correlations between items describing the advantages and disadvantages of the telework regime and the effects of telework on the company’s performance, as assessed by employers.

The Advantages of the Telework Regime	Spearman Coefficients Measuring the Correlation of Ranks with the Variable of The Effect of Telework on Company Performance
Better focus and workflow optimization, resulting in higher productivity	0.000
No delays in services due to congested traffic	−0.156
Lower working time and costs	−0.208
Avoiding medical leave	−0.259
A better balance between work and family life	0.065
The possibility of participating in activities of local communities	0.243
Flexible working hours	0.113
Disadvantages of the telework regime
Changing personal and family habits	0.027
The risk of devoting too much time to work	0.340
Loss of public subsidies	0.175
Isolation, marginalization, and lack of information regarding company life	−0.303

). This aspect can be explained by the small size of the analyzed sample of companies that carried out telework activities.

4.2. Using the Main Components Analysis at the Level of the Research Variables

In order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of telework, the questionnaire included specific items for representatives of both employees and employers. Employees rated the items on a Likert scale with 5 levels, and employers responded on a binary scale (yes/no) to the addressed items.

For this purpose, the values of the averages of the scores given by the employees for the items describing the advantages of the telework regime were taken into account, the average being an indicator of the central tendency that can synthesize, at a single representative level, everything that is typical, essential, common, and objective regarding the appearance and manifestation of mass phenomena.

From the employees’ perspective, the highest average values of the scores given to the items describing the advantages of the telework regime were for lower costs, with an average of 3.280; in the second place, flexible management, with an average value of 2.9630; and increased resistance to external factors, with an average value of 2.9177. At the opposite end was increased productivity, with an the average value of 2.7942; and, in last place, higher staff stability, the average value being 2.7078. These results indicate that employees appreciate that the telework regime allows them to better streamline the direct and indirect costs associated with lucrative activity, but also that this regime gives them greater security in the current context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The employees also evaluated the flexibility of the methods of coordinating activities used by the hierarchical heads.

We were able to identify a relatively similar perspective from the answers of the employers’ representatives. They most frequently indicated the following items as the advantages of the telework regime: in first place, flexible work schedule and lack of work delays due to traffic, with a value of 51.85% from the total responses; and a better balance between work and family life, with a value of 44.44%. Employers emphasized the flexibility of this work regime, which allows for better management of working time and family life.

From the perspective of the disadvantages indicated by the employees, the items that obtained the highest scores were a lack of relationship with colleagues, the average value being 3.2593; loss of contact with customers, with an average value of 3000; and provision of overtime, with an average value of 2.9465.

The aspect of social relationships seems to be a major disadvantage; the development of business relationships is also negatively influenced, especially in areas where direct customer relations are important. The teleworking regime can also lead to the need to provide overtime, as some of the activities that, at work, could previously be performed within a short amount of time, in the teleworking regime, require the completion of additional intermediate stages that lead to an increase in the time assigned to the task.

Affecting the social life seems to be the main disadvantage of telework from the perspective of employers as well. Most frequently, the following items were indicated: isolation, marginalization, and lack of information on company life had a proportion value of 66.67% from the total of responses; and changing personal and family habits as well as the risk of devoting too much time to work had a value of 59.26%.

4.3. Using the Analysis of Statistical Correlations at the Level of Research Variables

In order to analyze the correlations that were identified between the items describing the advantages and disadvantages of the telework regime from employees’ perspectives, as well as the way in which the efficiency and the satisfaction level were evaluated, we used the Spearman rank correlation coefficient.

The identified correlations were, generally, of low to medium intensity, and some of them were statistically significant, with significance coefficients of 5% and 1%. The highest coefficient values were identified for the correlations analyzed between the items evaluating the advantages of the telework regime, the variation in the evaluation ranks of the telework efficiency, and the level of satisfaction felt by the employees. It was found that the perception of increasing productivity in the telework regime is positively correlated with the efficiency and satisfaction perceived by employees, which suggests that telework has a positive impact on increasing productivity. The same positive correlation was identified in relation to the advantages of greater staff stability and flexible management, but in these cases, the intensity of the correlations decreased, even if it remained statistically significant. Although these correlation coefficients had lower values, they indicate that, to some extent, teleworking has a positive effect on the stability of staff and the company’s management.

In general, the items consisting of the disadvantages of the telework regime were negatively correlated with the variation in the evaluation ranks of telework efficiency and the level of satisfaction felt by employees, as these correlations were either low intensity or not statistically significant. A lack of relationships with colleagues seems to be the disadvantage that correlates most with decreased efficiency and job satisfaction for employees. Regarding the analysis of the correlations between the items describing the advantages and disadvantages identified by employers, in the case of telework activities and their effect on the companies’ performance levels, low, mostly statistically insignificant values of the calculated correlation coefficients were identified. This aspect can be explained by the small volume of the sample of companies carrying out telework activities which was analyzed.

4.4. Determination of the Statistical Significance of Differences Based on Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U Statistical Tests

To determine the rank differences, at the level of the community of employees in Suceava County, and to assess the levels of efficiency and satisfaction perceived by employees according to the variables of age group and sector in which they operated, we applied the Kruskal–Wallis test. This test is used to determine the statistical significance of differences found between three or more samples (dependent or independent), measured on an ordinal scale and normally distributed and homoscedastic.

For the evaluation of the efficiency perceived by the employees, we obtained a rank average of 137.91 for the employees in the age group of 18–25 years and an average of 95.99 for the employees in the age group 46–60 years, indicating a significant difference between the five age categories compared (Sig. = 0.014). The lowest score, which obviously differed from those of the previous age groups, was found in the case of employees in the 46–60 age group, indicating the reluctance of employees over the age of 46 to adopt this work regime from the perspective of perceived efficiency.

Regarding the satisfaction assessment, no significant differences were identified from the perspective of age groups, the significance value of the Kruskal–Wallis test being 0.238. As for the rank difference in evaluating the efficiency and satisfaction according to the sector of activity, we found it only in the case of evaluating the efficiency perceived by employees. In the case of public sector employees, we found a rank average significantly lower than in the other two sectors analyzed, the coefficient of significance of the test being 0.028. Regarding the satisfaction assessment, the differences which were found were not statistically significant, as the value of the significance coefficient exceeded the threshold of 0.05.

The Mann–Whitney U test was used to assess the rank difference in evaluating efficiency and satisfaction depending on the origin environments of employees. It identified significant differences between two variables from independent samples, which were measured using the ordinal scale and normally distributed.

From the perspective of the origin environment, no statistically significant differences were identified in the evaluation of the levels of efficiency of and satisfaction with the activities carried out by employees in the telework regime. The same situation of employees’ non-differentiation of the perception of the efficiency and satisfaction levels of activities carried out in the telework regime is also found when they respondents were grouped according to gender.

4.5. Results Interpretation and Validation of Hypotheses

At the level of the community of telework employees in Suceava County, we identified a set of advantages and disadvantages that allow for the description of their perceptions of activities in the context of telework. Among them, those that recorded the highest scores and had a positive impact on socio-economic development were better concentration and optimization of workflow; a lack of delays due to congested traffic; flexible working hours; and increased resistance to external factors. Although many believe that those who work remotely are lazy, enjoying the luxury of home, a wealth of research proves the opposite.

Employees who work remotely report that they are less disturbed and distracted when working, with a greater ability to concentrate. At the same time, the most insignificant advantage is considered by employers to be the ability to participate in the activities of local communities, which indicates that teleworking isolates employees from the activities carried out in society. We identified a relatively similar perspective from the answers of the employers’ representatives. The advantages of the employer include lower costs, high productivity, flexible management, and higher staff stability. At the same time, it should be noted that various studies have reiterated the idea that rental costs, maintenance, and transportation costs are significantly reduced when jobs are remote [71,72,73]. All of the above advantages of the employer confirm that the motivation of the staff is kept high, the flexibility offered is perceived as a benefit, and this is rewarded by good job performance.

In terms of the perceived disadvantages at the level of the two communities of respondents, we can say that in the employees’ opinions, the most significant disadvantage is isolation, lack of relationship with colleagues, lack of information on company life, and overtime. They described these issues by stating the fact that nothing replaces the face-to-face relationships and effective communication; and that when working at home, productivity and motivation decreases and people become more and more withdrawn/antisocial, which easily induces anxiety [74]. In the opinion of employers, the main disadvantage is also isolation; followed by changes in personal and family habits, which suggests conflict between telework and family; and the difficulty of organizing operational meetings. Therefore, Hypothesis 1 was confirmed, as we succeeded in constructing a typology of employees in the telework regime.

From the analysis of the correlations that were identified between the items describing the advantages and disadvantages of the telework regime from the employees’ perspective and the ways in which the efficiency and satisfaction level were evaluated, the highest coefficient values were identified for the correlations analyzed between the items which evaluated the advantages of the telework regime, the variation of the evaluation ranks of the telework efficiency, and the level of satisfaction felt by the employees. It was found that the perception of increasing productivity of telework is positively correlated with the efficiency and satisfaction perceived by employees, which suggests that telework has a positive impact on the growth of productivity. The same positive correlation was identified in relation to the advantages of greater staff stability and flexible management, which indicates that, to some extent, telework has a positive effect on staff stability and on the company’s management. Hypothesis 2 was, thus, confirmed.

According to the US National Labor Force Survey, in 2020, it was found that 63% of employers occasionally allowed employees to work in telework, and 33% of them used telework on a regular basis. That said, the control offered to employees over the work performed denotes a significantly higher degree of productivity, job satisfaction, and work–life balance. The lack of a relationship with colleagues, among the items identifying the disadvantages of the telework regime, seems to be the disadvantage that correlates most strongly with the decrease in efficiency and job satisfaction perceived by employees. Hypothesis 3 was, thus, confirmed.

In the case of telework activities and their effects on the performances of companies, low, mostly statistically insignificant values of the calculated correlation coefficients were identified. which are mostly statistically insignificant. Therefore, Hypothesis 4 was partially confirmed by the lack of intensity of the links between variables. At the same time, from the obtained results, we can highlight the fact that, for an employer, telework has a moderate effect on the enterprise, which indicates that employees are able to adapt to new situations in such a way that the company does not cease to operate/function.

From the perspective of the analysis of differences based on the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U statistical tests, we can summarize:

• There was a significant difference between the five age groups which we compared (Sig. = 0.014), namely, 18–25 years, 26–35 years, 36–45 years, 46–60 years, and over 60 years. The lowest scores, which obviously differed from those of previous age groups, were found among employees in the 46–60 age group, indicating a reluctance to work remotely from the employees’ perspective. The involvement of the young generation in technological innovation is appreciated for its importance; this age group is considered much more flexible, informed, and adaptable to technological changes, with more voluminous objectives as well [75].
• There was differentiation depending on the sector of activity; we found it only in the case of evaluating the efficiency perceived by employees, where, in the case of public sector employees, it was found to have a significantly lower average rank than in the other two sectors analyzed. The significance coefficient of the test was 0.028. Thus, Hypothesis 5 was confirmed.
• From the perspective of the origin environment (rural/urban), as well as from the point of view of the genders of employees, no statistically significant differences were identified regarding the evaluation of the levels of efficiency of and satisfaction with the telework activities carried out by employees. Hypothesis 6 was completely invalidated. Teleworking trends in rural areas have been observed by studies conducted, for the most part, in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and by research conducted in Riga, where 83% of respondents from rural areas agreed to engage in telework at home. However, considering this a very good opportunity, our analysis found no statistically significant differences regarding the environment of origin. If we refer to the gender variable, among the few studies conducted, Lyttelton (et. al., 2020) [76] compared the telework of women and men and showed that women employed in telework are more affected by the difficulties encountered at the crossroads of their professional and personal lives. In this context, both women and men extend their stipulated working time, but women are more likely to use the time saved for childcare and housework.

Emphasizing the relevance of this research, we state that these have been considered key factors in predicting telework’s effectiveness under normal circumstances [22]. According to Carillo (et al., 2020) [77], adaptation to telecommuting during the COVID-19 pandemic was defined as the accommodation of employees to the challenges and demands of the new work context imposed by the pandemic. This was measured by three indicators: work productivity, work performance, and satisfaction with telecommuting. As previously mentioned, the Four-Factor Model of Telework [22] represents a promising theoretical framework for identifying critical factors in predicting the success of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In their study, Carillo (et al., 2020) [77], developed and tested the Adaptation to Pandemic Telework Model, which includes individual factors (e.g., personal stress), work factors (e.g., work overload), and organizational factors (e.g., organizational support) as predictors of adaptation to telework. This model also distinguishes between crisis-specific factors (e.g., stress, occupational isolation) and non-crisis-specific factors (e.g., work autonomy). The results indicated that occupational stress and isolation negatively influence adaptation to telework, while a suitable environment for telework (adequate space and equipment) as well as work overload had positive impacts on employees’ adaptation to telework. Surprisingly, crisis-related organizational support was not found to have any impact on adjustment.

5. Conclusions, Limitations, and Perspectives

Telework, as a long-term practice characterizing the digitalization of society, represents the future for companies on the market. More than ever, it is understood that adaptability and digitalization are essential for the business environment, especially in the new economic and social context. Many employees stated they were more productive because they were able to work without interruption, while others said they were happy not to spend more time in traffic. From an economic point of view, working remotely has also generated countless benefits, for example, reducing office space and the costs of rent and maintenance. Although it may seem to be a passing fad in the world of corporations, digitalization is an indispensable element of the development of the economy. In the new economy, we will see important changes in labor. The first change, and perhaps the most important, concerns its nature. It is assumed that the focus will be placed more and more on the thinking and creation processes. The products created will be of an intangible nature—information and knowledge. The labor market will be globalized. For example, an intellectual “worker” in Romania can be an employee of a company located anywhere. The employment policy will involve intellectual competence for the project and not employment for life, and the risks for employees will increase. The need for continuous training will increase, with a school diploma being necessary, but not sufficient. Employer–employee relations will increasingly be based on cooperation and less on subordination. The share of telework will also increase in all forms of work.

With regard to those already mentioned, we considered it important to identify the main advantages and disadvantages and their levels of influence on the investigated community. These were considered in terms of the macroeconomic context of telework, public policies, the legal framework of quality of life, and the effects of telework on employees and employers based on the obtained results. By using correlation and regression analyses and observing the statistical significance of differences based on Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U statistical tests, we identified the most representative impact factors which were able to describe the coordinates of the investigated population. Thus, we can state that four hypotheses out of five proposed in the performed study were definitively confirmed.

We also pointed out that the labor market will be influenced by the effect of liberalization and communications, as more and more activities are carried out by the e-citizens of contemporary society. The prevalence of teleworking varies greatly between sectors and occupations. Many scientific articles have shown that the percentage of knowledge- and ICT-intensive services has been particularly high. Most of workers in IT and other communications were already working from home on a regular basis, or at least with a certain frequency. In contrast, the share of employees was quite low in administrative and support services, such as in sectors involving the physical handling of materials and/or objects. The transition process from office work to working at home depends on the sector and the field to which the company belongs. Therefore, organizations find advantages and solutions if switching to telework is a very complicated process. Some organizations have even combined an increase in telework with a transition to a smaller office space, thus reducing overhead costs, but maintaining work schedules and effective communication between employees, which is a disadvantage for other organizations which may experience a lack of communication and organization. Most of the motivations offered by the respondents referred to the negative impacts of telework, namely, personal challenges, decreased social relationships and social isolation, difficult work situations, motivation, and satisfaction received from the accomplished work.

As we have shown previously, people’s interest in telework grew considerably in early 2020. Telework has been and will be a good opportunity for both employers and employees, but at the moment, there is a “voluntary acceptance” of telework within companies and organizations. The pandemic context is considered as a premise for the development of the current telework process.