The Ecology of the Mobile Worker. Workscape 21: The Ecology of New Ways of Working.

A study addressed the impact of household composition--preschool, school-age, or no children--and nature of the home workspace--dedicated room or area--on IBM employees' satisfaction, stress, and work effectiveness. The IBM program allowed 300 employees who spent about 70 percent of their time with clients to work in home offices. Surveys, interviews, observations, photographs, and archival data were used. Findings included the following: employees worked roughly 35 percent of the time from home and 27 percent from customer sites, with no significant variations as a function of household composition and nature of home workspace; the home office was used most, with no differences as a function of household composition, home workspace, or gender; 76 percent were somewhat or very satisfied with the mobility program, with no significant variations as a function of household composition or home workspace; 52 percent reported overall work effectiveness as better or much better; and 18 percent reported it as worse or much worse. Employees with dedicated rooms rated their overall work effectiveness somewhat higher. Over 77 percent rated professional communication at work as somewhat or much worse; 88 percent rated their ability to socialize with co-workers as worse or much worse; 46 percent reported positive or very positive spillover (between work and family life); but 41 percent reported the impact on role conflict was negative or very negative. (Appendixes contain 49 references and survey instruments.) (YLB)