Exploring job satisfaction of long-term virtual employees

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 20 long-term virtual employees (LTVEs). The findings of the study provide organizations and supervisors with insights into LTVE perspectives without confounding information from regular and occasional telecommuters. Using Herzberg’s theory, the job satisfaction of LTVEs was high because motivators have been applied. There was little evidence of job dissatisfaction in the research findings, perhaps because hygiene factors were at acceptable, if not ideal, levels for these LTVEs. A possible explanation for the high job satisfaction levels in LTVEs may be that LTVEs receive intrinsic rewards from hygiene factors, thus making a factor that is ordinarily considered a job dissatisfier into a factor that is a job motivator. Supervisors can use the findings to recruit, motivate, and retain employees for their virtual workforce. Based on the findings, to maintain job satisfaction and excellent supervisor-employee relationships with LTVEs, three recommendations to leaders are offered: (a) pre-training of employees and supervisors for the virtual environment, (b) capitalizing on the quiet environment, and (c) establishing realistic expectations of virtual employees