Teleworking and work-family balance in public educational institutions

Costa, Marine Mateus ; Alves Filho, Antônio ; Pessoa-de-Oliveira, Ana Katarina (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Purpose.
This article aims to investigate teleworking in public institutions, specifically focussing on the perspectives of technical-administrative employees at a Brazilian federal educational institution.

Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology involved the use of guided semi-structured interviews with public servants. The analysis applied a prior set of categories derived from the advantages and disadvantages of teleworking, as well as the favourable and unfavourable aspects of the interaction between teleworking and family relationships.

Findings
The findings reveal a range of benefits associated with teleworking, primarily an improved quality of life for workers. However, the study also identified significant challenges, including excessive workload, social isolation and difficulties in separating personal and professional life, corroborating with previous studies.

Research limitations/implications
It is crucial to note that the majority of participants in the study have children or dependants, which could potentially influence their teleworking strategies and experiences. This demographic factor may play a significant role in how participants navigate their work-from-home routines and manage their responsibilities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Practical implications
Working from home presents two sides of the same coin according to the vision of those involved in this type of work. Public organisations should know in depth the challenges faced by their workers to prioritise planning that monitors their workforce and achieve success with teleworking.

Originality/value
The insights from this study provide valuable guidance for the development of evidence-based teleworking policies and practices in public educational institutions.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1108/IJPSM-01-2024-0003

Año: 2024

Publicado en: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT 37, 7 (2024), 880-895
ISSN: 0951-3558

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Organización de Empresas (Dpto. Direcc.Organiza.Empresas)