How to increase participation in telework programs in U.S. federal agencies: examining the effects of being a female supervisor, supportive leadership, and diversity management

Previous research has established the connection between teleworking and organizational performance, but there remains a need to understand why employees who are eligible for telework programs do not necessarily utilize the programs. This study uses the 2013 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey to examine the effects of being a female supervisor, supportive leadership, and diversity management, and the moderating effects of contextual factors on employee eligibility and participation in telework. We find that both supportive leadership and diversity management reduce the nonparticipation in telework programs of employees who are eligible and willing to telework. We also find that the interaction between being a female supervisor and supportive leadership reduces the nonparticipation in telework programs when employees are eligible for telework. These results imply that female supervisors who use supportive leadership are more likely to contribute to increasing the number of public employees who are able to participate in existing telework programs.