Teleworking today

Citation

(1999), "Teleworking today", Facilities, Vol. 17 No. 1/2. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.1999.06917aab.003

Teleworking today

Teleworking today

Keywords Homeworking, Survey, Teleworking

Teleworking receives a lot of positive coverage as employers see the benefits of asking their employees to work from home; governments see the environmental advantages of less commuting; and employees think they will gain freedom and flexibility from working remotely. But teleworking also receives a lot of negative publicity: reports contain tales of ill-advised and ill-managed schemes, managers who no longer have control ­ and employees isolated in their homes, attempting to work longer hours in trying conditions.

With these two opposing pictures in mind, the facilities consulting and management company, CBX, conducted a nationwide survey of teleworkers in 1998 to ask crucial questions about today's homeworkers and their environments. Home or Away? Teleworking Today asks employers and teleworkers some key questions:

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  How do major companies provide for homeworkers? What do they provide in terms of technological equipment and methods of management?

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  How well is the legislative environment prepared for homeworking? Can a mortgagee work from home with the full support of a lender? What about insurance? How big is the gap between the homeworking concept and the homeworking reality?

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  What are the major issues confronting today's homeworkers? How well do they feel that they are supported by their employers and the institutions?

Available online at the following site: (www.teleworkingsurvey. co.uk) or on paper for those who prefer it (call +44 (0) 171 616 5400 for a copy), the survey aims to get the real answers businesses need as we move towards more flexible working environments.

And to attract people to the Web site, CBX offered incentives: those who completed the questionnaire were entered into a draw to win a fabulous holiday or a powerful personal computer. The data will be widely publicized early in 1999 and results will be available via the CBX Web site (www.cbx.co.uk) and at the survey Web site.

"We are heavily involved in advising companies on the creation and management of the workplace of the future", said CBX spokesperson, John Weston. "Therefore, it is appropriate that we host this wide-ranging survey of attitudes to teleworking ­ asking the teleworkers and their managers directly for their views. By hosting the survey electronically, we aim to attract as wide an audience as possible ­ and make use of the technology which is enabling remote working in the first place."

The survey was also available at this year's key teleworking event: Telework World '98, in London's Docklands from 3 to 5 November 1998. The survey was distributed at this event (part of European Telework Week) to delegates from leading businesses who are interested in the evolution of teleworking. For further information about Telework World '98 please call +44 (0)118 962 3292 or visit www.telework.org.

CBX is a facilities consulting and management company which creates and manages workplace environments, providing flexible workplace solutions which contribute to clients' productivity and competitiveness. CBX is an independent organization providing an integrated and flexible menu of services including facilities management, real estate consultancy, project management, CAD and space planning services and technical services. CBX is owned by its management, Xerox Corporation and international cost consultants, Currie & Brown.

Further information from Fiona Perrin, Enigma, fiona@the-enigma.co.uk Tel: (0)171 490 8292; Fax:(0)171 490 8290; Mobile: 0788 768 2955.