Telework in the European Union

This report examines the phenomenon of telework in the EU – particularly in the context of the European Framework Agreement on Telework, which was signed by the peak social partners in July 2002. The report first assesses the incidence of telework across the 27 EU Members States and Norway, highlighting the overall increase in telework usage. It goes on to examine the regulatory framework for telework, with a particular focus on the European Framework Agreement’s implementation in the context of national industrial relations systems and given the unique nature of this autonomous agreement. The report also looks at issues concerning the employment and working conditions of teleworkers – such as health and safety, data protection, access to training and the voluntary nature of telework. It concludes with an overview of the social partners’ position on telework

Preliminary frameworks and models for telework maturity within organisations

This paper is a preliminary step to assess the feasibility of telework for any given organisation. We posit two qualitative frames of telework to define the additional, digital referential platforms that exist with regard to work today: abstraction and conceptualisation. To communicate research within this field we utilise a language taxonomy derived out of a review of the relevant literature. Furthermore, we propose a transformer model to serve as a means to i) interpret quantitative aspects of telework such as metrics and KPIs and ii) inform stakeholder decisions with regard to appropriate telework configurations for their respective company

Preliminary frameworks and models for telework maturity within organisations

This paper is a preliminary step to assess the feasibility of telework for any given organisation. We posit two qualitative frames of telework to define the additional, digital referential platforms that exist with regard to work today: abstraction and conceptualisation. To communicate research within this field we utilise a language taxonomy derived out of a review of the relevant literature. Furthermore, we propose a transformer model to serve as a means to i) interpret quantitative aspects of telework such as metrics and KPIs and ii) inform stakeholder decisions with regard to appropriate telework configurations for their respective company

Telework in the Federal Government: The Overview Memo

Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) alter the time and/or place that employees work on a regular basis in a manner that is manageable and predictable for both employees and employers.1 Telework, also called telecommuting, refers to an FWA that enables an employee to work from an alternative place to the employer’s usual worksite, typically home or a satellite work center. Telework technically refers to work performed with the use of a telecommunications connection to the workplace (e.g., computer, telephone), but the term is als

Teleworking practice in small and medium-sized firms: Management style and worker autonomy

In an empirical study of teleworking practices amongst small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in West London, organisational factors such as management attitudes, worker autonomy and employment flexibility were found to be more critical than technological provision in facilitating successful implementation. Consequently, we argue that telework in most SMEs appears as a marginal activity performed mainly by managers and specialist mobile workers

Appendix E: Telecommuting: A Case Study in Public Policy Approaches

Telecommuting: A Case Study in Public Policy Approaches from the event: Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing held April 30, 2008 for Workplace Flexibility 2010

Smarter choices and telecoms – the evidence

In May 2004, a research report entitled ‘Smarter Choices’ was published in conjunction with the new White Paper on the ‘The Future of Transport’. The study looked at ten transport measures, including telework, teleconferencing and home shopping. The study suggested that, within ten years, and within a supportive context, a ‘high-intensity scenario’ of implementing these measures could reduce national traffic levels by 11%, with greater effects in certain circumstances, including, for example, a 21% reduction in urban peak traffic. This paper concentrates on telework and teleconferencing. Taken together, these represented about 37% of the potential national traffic reduction identified. The study also showed that telework and teleconferencing were often associated with other benefits, including financial savings for employers and a better work–life balance for employees. Hence, increasing their use could have a range of positive effects. Some critics have argued that encouraging organisations to adopt telework or teleconferencing leads to more dispersed lifestyles and business activities, thereby increasing travel not reducing it. Whilst this is logically possible, current evidence does not support this. Moreover, a key issue is the context in which these activities are encouraged. For example, the effect of promoting them in a context where road and air travel are priced to reflect environmental impacts is likely to be significantly different to the effect of promoting them in a context of an expansion of cheap, long-distance travel. The Smarter Choices research suggests that, where employers are encouraged to promote telework or teleconferencing as part of a package with explicit objectives to reduce travel, significant traffic reductions can be achieved

THE EFFECTS OF TELEWORK ON ORGANISATION AND BUSINESS TRAVEL An exploratory study on a university context

In recent years, many companies have implemented telework to improve work efficiency and quality of life for employees. Transport planners attempt to assist companies in reducing business travel time losses related to traffic congestion by stimulating telework. However, current knowledge concerning the effects of teleworking on business travel is limited. Furthermore, despite constant promotion, telework penetration in The Netherlands remains low because companies are uncertain about the benefits of teleworking and its effects on their organisation and employees. In this paper, insights from literature review and pilot survey results are used to contribute to the development of a preliminary exploratory model.