April 2024

IZA DP No. 16900: Speeding Up on the Learning Curve: The Evaluation of Telework Following a Surge in Telework Experience

This letter adds to the literature on the importance of telework experience in employee evaluation by leveraging the telework experience accumulated during the COVID-19 crisis. We conducted a follow-up survey on the evaluation of telework exactly three years after our initial data collection in 2020. We find evidence of a learning curve regarding self-reported i) efficiency in performing tasks, ii) work-life balance, and iii) concentration during work, characterised by a more positive evaluation as telework experience increased. Migration background, feedback on the job, and compatibility of the job with telework moderate the effect of telework experience on the evaluation of telework over time.