AT&T adds business continuity to the long list of telework’s advantages

Citation

Roitz, J. (2006), "AT&T adds business continuity to the long list of telework’s advantages", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 14 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/hrmid.2006.04414fad.008

AT&T adds business continuity to the long list of telework’s advantages

AT&T adds business continuity to the long list of telework’s advantages

Roitz J., Jackson E.Journal of Organizational Excellence, Spring 2006, Vol. 25 No. 2, Start page: 3, No of pages: 10

Purpose – To explain how teleworking contributes to AT&T’s competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach – Describes the way that use of telework and networking technologies helped AT&T maintain continuity after Hurricane Katrina. Points out that many traditional working practices, such as the 40-hour working week with fixed hours spent in a single location reflect the product manufacturing paradigm. Suggests that this is inappropriate to knowledge production and presents a summary mapping the paradigm shift between the industrial economy and the knowledge economy. Provides an overview of the way that telework is used at AT&T, noting that only ten percent of employees do no telework at all, whilst the rest either regularly use telework, have full-time virtual office arrangements or use telework for business continuity. Illustrates the way that participation in telework has grown within the organization over the last twelve years. Identifies commonly cited barriers to teleworking and some of the key benefits reaped by the organization and its employees. Lists the major advantages of telework from the teleworker’s perspective and explains how it improves productivity and helps business continuity. Notes the need to make telework culturally acceptable, adding that this becomes easier once critical mass is achieved. Originality/value – Concludes that telework not only improves quality of life and organizational competitiveness, but is also capable of generating environmental benefits.ISSN: 1531-1864Reference: 35AJ026

Keywords: Employee attitudes, Organizational performance, Teleworking