Telework as a dependent care solution: Examining current practice to improve telework management strategies.

To explore the influences of common telework practices on employee dependent care responsibilities, job performance, and work experience, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 863 teleworking federal government employees with dependents. Respondents reported that teleworking positively influences their job performance and intentions to remain with their organizations. Teleworking assists them in meeting their dependent care responsibilities, but current policies and management practices undercut the full potential of telework as a mechanism for meeting employee caregiving demands and reaping the associated benefits to the employer. Results show that employees would like dependent care to be a formal factor in telework policy and that they would like to telework more days than currently allowed. Findings suggest that management should consider the circumstances under which dependent care needs could be a formally accepted rationale for telework.