The impact of teleworking and work flexibility on service work efficiency

Purpose Following the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking was widely applied in many organisations, providing new work experiences for employees and creating a new work environment in the meta-pandemic era. This study aimed to examine the impact of teleworking and work flexibility on service work efficiency in the service industry. Design/methodology/approach This study used an online questionnaire survey. The sample included 836 employees from three major sectors of the Greek service industry: tourism, public services and retail trade services. The statistical relationships between variables were evaluated using linear regression. Findings The study revealed that teleworking does significantly affect work efficiency in various services in different ways. Moreover, teleworking imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected work efficiency. Finally, the flexibility afforded by teleworking enhanced work efficiency. Research limitations/implications This study focused only on companies operating in specific service industries. Practical implications These findings provide service executives with a means to enhance their work-efficiency initiatives. They can also assist executives and public servants to use work flexibility as an incentive for teleworking. Social implications This study may assist managers by demonstrating that in the service industry, teleworking may be more effective as a motivator through work flexibility to improve work efficiency. Originality/value This study aims to better understand the impact of teleworking and work flexibility on work efficiency in specific industries. The novelty of this study lies in the flexibility of hours that teleworking provides in various service industries, with varying effects on work efficiency.