Alienation in Pandemic-Induced Telework in the Public Sector

Abstract

Most of our knowledge of the benefits and costs of telework are based on self-selected workers who have worked remotely part-time. Full-time, pandemic-induced mass telework may present benefits and costs that differ from what was understood in the prior context. Informed by conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study examines the effect of pandemic-induced remote working on work alienation in the public sector with two Canadian surveys: a panel of teleworking public servants (n = 605), and a representative sample of teleworking Canadians in public and private sectors (n = 1001). Teleworkers who fit the “conscientious” personality profile were less alienated in their new teleworker status, and by contrast “extroverts” were more alienated than before the pandemic. We then examine the types of organizational adaptations that lower alienation, and find that more autonomy, avoiding micromanagement and promoting communication among employees is most promising.