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Disentangling the attractiveness of telework to employees: A factorial survey experiment

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  • Eline MOENS
  • Elsy VERHOFSTADT
  • Luc VAN OOTEGEM
  • Stijn BAERT

Abstract

This article analyses the attractiveness of telework using a factorial survey experiment in which employees evaluate job offers with diverging characteristics, including a wide variation in the possibility to telework. This allows us to show that the relationship between the possibility to telework and job attractiveness is approximately linear: 10 percentage points (pp) more telework hours yield a rise of 2.2 pp in attractiveness and, therefore, the willingness to forego a 2.2 pp wage increase in the new job. Our experimental design also allows us to investigate the underlying mechanisms and moderators of this relationship structurally and extensively.

Suggested Citation

  • Eline MOENS & Elsy VERHOFSTADT & Luc VAN OOTEGEM & Stijn BAERT, 2024. "Disentangling the attractiveness of telework to employees: A factorial survey experiment," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 163(2), pages 325-348, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:intlab:v:163:y:2024:i:2:p:325-348
    DOI: 10.1111/ilr.12424
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kevin Carillo & Gaëlle Cachat-Rosset & Josianne Marsan & Tania Saba & Alain Klarsfeld, 2021. "Adjusting to epidemic-induced telework: empirical insights from teleworkers in France," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 69-88, January.
    2. Schmoll, René & Süß, Stefan, 2019. "Working Anywhere, Anytime: An Experimental Investigation of Workplace Flexibility's Influence on Organizational Attraction," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 30(1), pages 40-62.
    3. Gerald S. Oettinger, 2011. "The Incidence and Wage Consequences of Home-Based Work in the United States, 1980–2000," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 46(2), pages 237-260.
    4. Eva Van Belle & Ralf Caers & Marijke De Couck & Valentina Di Stasio & Stijn Baert, 2019. "The Signal of Applying for a Job Under a Vacancy Referral Scheme," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 251-274, April.
    5. Aguilera, Anne & Lethiais, Virginie & Rallet, Alain & Proulhac, Laurent, 2016. "Home-based telework in France: Characteristics, barriers and perspectives," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 1-11.
    6. Alexandre Mas & Amanda Pallais, 2017. "Valuing Alternative Work Arrangements," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(12), pages 3722-3759, December.
    7. Haoran He & David Neumark & Qian Weng, 2021. "Do Workers Value Flexible Jobs? A Field Experiment," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 39(3), pages 709-738.
    8. Claudia Pigini & Stefano Staffolani, 2019. "Teleworkers in Italy: who are they? Do they make more?," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 40(2), pages 265-285, February.
    9. Nicole Maestas & Kathleen J. Mullen & David Powell & Till von Wachter & Jeffrey B. Wenger, 2023. "The Value of Working Conditions in the United States and the Implications for the Structure of Wages," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(7), pages 2007-2047, July.
    10. Nicolau, Juan Luis & Mellinas, Juan Pedro & Martín-Fuentes, Eva, 2020. "The halo effect: A longitudinal approach," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    11. Anne Aguiléra & Virginie Lethiais & Alain Rallet & Laurent Proulhac, 2016. "Home-based telework in France: Characteristics, barriers and perspectives," Post-Print hal-01369611, HAL.
    12. Eline Moens & Louis Lippens & Philippe Sterkens & Johannes Weytjens & Stijn Baert, 2022. "The COVID-19 crisis and telework: a research survey on experiences, expectations and hopes," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(4), pages 729-753, June.
    13. Louis Lippens & Eline Moens & Philippe Sterkens & Johannes Weytjens & Stijn Baert, 2021. "How do employees think the COVID-19 crisis will affect their careers?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-19, May.
    14. Michael Spence, 1973. "Job Market Signaling," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 87(3), pages 355-374.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gavoille, Nicolas & Hazans, Mihails, 2022. "Personality traits, remote work and productivity," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1145, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Philippe Sterkens & Stijn Baert & Eline Moens & Joey Wuyts & Eva Derous, 2024. "I won’t make the same mistake again: burnout history and job preferences," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 1-21, March.
    3. Louise Devos & Kristen du Bois & Stijn Baert & Louis Lippens, 2026. "Ethnocultural identity and hiring decisions: The role of social desirability and employer bias," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 26/1131, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    4. Masayuki Morikawa, 2024. "Productivity dynamics of work from home: Firm-level evidence from Japan," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 465-487, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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