Overcommunication Causes Stress for Teleworkers

According to WorldatWork, nearly 20% of the US working adult population teleworked regularly in 2010, and teleworking frequency also is increasing. The author conducted a research study with Michael Roloff, a communications professor at Northwestern University, using social scientific quantitative research methods to test several hypotheses related to these issues. The study examined how frequent communication affects outcomes related to teleworkers' identification with the organization. The researchers hypothesized that frequent communication with colleagues and their managers would help teleworkers feel a sense of "social presence" or closeness with their co-workers. However, they also hypothesized that for teleworkers frequent communication with others would be associated with increased stress from interruptions, such as meetings and conversations with colleagues, that would generate feelings of anxiety and pressure.