Factors Influencing Telecommuters’ Satisfaction: A Study of Telecommuting Practitioners in IT Industry, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Current workers in many industries are inclined to work from home. Rapid increment of usage of telecommuting by information and knowledge workers has been adopted by the availability of enabling new dimensions of technologies. Handheld computers, user friendly software, high speed information & communication media make work from home concept possible. This study quests to understand the satisfaction of telecommuting practitioners towards their job. Eighty four professionals who are working in an IT organization located in Colombo are selected for this study using simple random sampling method. A Likert scale questionnaire was designed as the survey instrument to collect data on the satisfaction of Telecommuting Practitioners. Telecommuting perception is deeply examined by work related attitude, perceived net benefits, organizational support and cognitive absorption on the level of satisfaction towards their job. A schematic diagram and four testable hypotheses were developed based on this situation. Data were analysed using a linear regression analysis. The Multicollinearity was examined by the construction of pairwise correlation matrix, Variance Inflation Factor and tolerance statistics. It found that regression outcome is free from the multicollinearity. The regression result reveals that perceived net benefits significantly influence Telecommuters’ satisfaction towards their job. Organization has to understand what are the benefits that each employee can gain from telecommuting. According to the finding, telecommuting as alternate working method may bring number of benefits for individuals, organization and the society. It also proved that pure benefits that can be gained from telecommuting gives contribution to the satisfaction of telecommuting practitioners.