Janet
W. Salaff, Arent Greve, Dimitrina Dimitrova, Barry Wellman and Jeff Boase. Working
Paper, November 2000.
ABSTRACT
This paper is about how teleworkers communicate to learn and coordinate work.
We look at variations in the work structures of remote sales personnel that
shape help from others to do their jobs. We compare the bounded as opposed to
unbounded work communities of sales employees. These two forms of distant work
communities communicate differently and telework differently.
In the negotiated sales process of salaried employees of a large company, there are three sets of players: formal and informal workmates and customers. The key to effective telework is the ability to communicate with these significant others at a distance. This interaction is based on the different work processes and their success rests on the work place structure and the kind of help they need.
We contrast the exchanges of information and coordination of help in two work commu-nities, one with bounded (fishbowl) and unbounded (fishnet) work relationships. Those with bounded ties, or fishbowl workers, communicate to get the job done quickly, and with fewer mistakes. With limited time and place flexibility, fishbowl workers used those modes of com-munication and technologies that gave fast results (phone, yelling). In contrast, employees with unbounded ties, or fishnet workers, have greater time and place flexibility. They have to draw more widely for broader input to their work. The modes of communication they used broaden the network of those involved (email, planned meetings) and helped them gather in new complements in their proposals to meet their clients needs.
By reshaping the modes of communication, telework may hinder or ease access to oth-ers, thereby affecting how employees work. The paper identifies the structure of the work community and communication as factors that companies must take into account before implementing teleworking.