Dark side of teleworking: impact of initiated interdependence, professional isolation and psychological detachment on emotional exhaustion

Purpose - The study aims to examine the dark side of teleworking and tests the various factors which lead to employee exhaustion while teleworking. The study examines two key variables, i.e. initiated interdependence and professional isolation, as antecedents of emotional exhaustion amongst employees who are teleworking. The study further investigates the mediating role of psychological detachment in these relationships. Design/methodology/approach - Survey data were collected from 307 employees who were teleworking for more than three months. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypothesis. Findings - The study found that initiated interdependence and professional isolation positively impact emotional exhaustion. These findings suggest that employees whose work is designed such that others depend on them will experience high emotional exhaustion while teleworking. Also, employees who experience professional isolation because of a lack of connection while teleworking will experience emotional exhaustion. The study also revealed the mediating role of psychological detachment in these relationships. Practical implications - The study has insights for policy-making concerning telework practices. Originality/value - It is one of the first studies examining the impact of teleworking in a context when it is not a choice exercised by the employees but has been imposed upon them. This study is particularly relevant in the context of the decision made by some organizations to move to telework as a permanent work format.