Media synchronicity effects on telecommuters’ working experience

The widespread adoption of work from home has ignited a critical debate surrounding the necessity of in-office attendance and its influence on organizational performance. A central concern is that reduced face-to-face interaction might impede internal communication and overall effectiveness. Drawing on Media Synchronicity Theory, this chapter explores how employees experience media synchronicity in relation to shared understanding, contribution visibility, and performance evaluation. To investigate these experiences, we adopted a phenomenological approach, conducting online interviews with full-time telecommuters across various professional settings. Our findings challenge the conventional view, demonstrating that telecommuting does not inherently hinder complex discussions. Instead, telecommuters strategically select media options based on the communication context, enabling them to achieve high-quality communication. We further highlight the limitations of relying solely on quantitative metrics for assessing performance in highly interactive, non-repetitive roles, advocating for regular, synchronous communication between employees and managers. This chapter concludes with practical, managerial implications for optimizing internal communication and informing telecommuting policies.