Exploring sustainable telework productivity: a framework for adapting to socio-political instability
Fatemeh Nemati, Alireza Amini, Mohammad Hossein Ronaghi, Maryam LotfiPurpose
Amid accelerating technological change, the expansion of e-governance and growing socio-political instability, organizations increasingly depend on telework. This study identifies the key factors that shape effective and sustainable telework productivity in disruptive contexts, with a specific focus on Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
The research employed a systematic literature review combined with a structured survey. Using equation structural modeling (ESM), the study analyzed causal-hierarchical relationships between productivity indicators by focusing on Iran a country experiencing persistent political, economic and social turbulence. Within this fragile context, the electric sector was selected due to its importance and high vulnerability to disruption. Data were collected from 64 managers using a census sampling technique.
Findings
The most influential drivers of sustainable telework productivity were identified as: (1) productive occupational attitudes, (2) hierarchical support and (3) provision of resources and infrastructure. In contrast, “telework performance management” emerged as the most impacted yet least influential factor in the model. In the ESM-based hierarchical model, each level's factors exert influence on the levels above while simultaneously being affected by the levels below, reflecting the interdependent structure of the system.
Originality/value
This study introduces a unified theoretical framework for productive telework in unstable environments. The research contributes to the performance management literature by demonstrating that telework productivity is shaped not only by infrastructure and managerial mechanisms but also by broader social and organizational dynamics. The study further extends telework scholarship by incorporating contextual considerations related to gender roles, work–family balance and sustainability concerns. It offers a practical tool for managers, executives, and scholars aiming to enhance telework effectiveness. By focusing on the identified indicators, organizational leaders can define strategic priorities to improve productivity outcomes and build more sustainable remote work systems. While the empirical case focuses on Iran's electricity sector, the identified factors reflect generic organizational dimensions that can be conceptually applied in other contexts facing comparable disruptions.