Do Leadership Commitment and Performance-Oriented Culture Matter for Federal Teleworker Satisfaction With Telework Programs?

A substantial number of federal employees have been teleworking due to its perceived benefits—time and location flexibility and better balance between family and work. Yet, managing teleworkers in public organizations can be challenging due to the added expenses associated with monitoring remote workers. Also, the unforeseen drawbacks of remote work may decrease teleworker satisfaction with telework programs. Drawing on insights from the political economy of hierarchy and institution theories, this study examines whether leadership commitment to telework and performance-oriented culture matter for federal teleworker satisfaction with telework programs. It examines two-year datasets of the 2008 and 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Surveys. The findings show that leadership commitment to telework, performance-oriented culture, and the enactment of the 2010 Telework Enhancement Act all play significant roles in enhancing federal teleworker satisfaction with telework programs.