Abstract
Remote work environments became commonplace in organizations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the abrupt shift to telework it is important to understand the factors and outcomes of communication and collaboration in remote work settings. Specifically, the aim of this study is to examine how telework impacts employees with regard to team communication and collaboration. In the United States three percent of the American workforce was considered remote in 2013; however, this percentage grew to more than 70 percent in 2020 (Parker, Horowitz, & Munkin, 2020). This paper will delve into the factors of remote work elements team members need to promote successful communication and collaboration.
A survey was used to collect data on key components of remote work environments which included 16 questions based on a five-point satisfaction scale and four qualitative questions. The target areas of interest in the survey centered around digital communication, collaboration, and technology. To better understand the outcomes of telework the qualitative data was analyzed using the categories of: Communication, collaboration, work-life balance, social aspects, technology, and productivity. While some of the outcomes were supported by the literature, there was a discrepancy in overall study findings compared to that of research collected in the literature prior to 2020. This was particularly evident in the early literature relating to communication misunderstandings. However, the study did not support this finding. In fact, the opposite was discovered. Communication behavior in remote work environments was noted by participants as an adjustment in regard to format, tone, and approach, but was not considered a barrier. Consequently, more research is needed on current telework conditions both within the United States and globally, especially as organizations across the world default to telework arrangements.
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