Slide 5 of 11
Notes:
We estimate that at least half of all work currently done in the European Union could benefit from telework and other new work methods, though the proportion varies from country to country and sector to sector. But the detailed nature of the work determines how new work methods should be approached. This is where some of the worst planning mistakes are made.
1. Routine versus varied; repetitive versus creative
Superficially, it may appear to repetitive routine tasks are ideal for teleworking, but this is a serious misconception. The more routine and repetitive the work the more likely it is that the employee needs the stimulation and social support of colleagues and a relatively close level of supervision. With today’s affordable technologies, this is usually best achieved in a conventional office environment. New methods do apply, but mainly through concentrating work into centres (for example the telephone work centres of banks) rather than distributing it to home-based workers.
2. Interruptive versus concentrative
These factors suggest ways to look at the work setting. For work requiring peace and quiet and freedom from interruptions, some homes provide a much better environment than the office.
The nature of communications and relationships in the task set are sufficiently important to warrant special focus - see the next two slides.
