TELECOMMUTING AT A HIGH-TECH COMPANY. COMPARISONS BETWEEN DISTANCE-WORKERS AND OFFICE-WORKERS

TELEPENDLING I ETT HOEGTEKNOLOGISKT FOERETAG. JAEMFOERELSE MELLAN DISTANSARBETANDE OCH ICKE DISTANSARBETANDE PERSONAL

214 employees participated in the survey by answering a questionnaire. The response rate was 79 percent, from which 50 percent were distance-workers and 50 percent so called "office-workers". The name office-worker is used as an opposite to distance-worker. The questionnaire treated topics concerning productivity, stress, solidarity and attitudes to work environment and individual well being. Comparisons between the attitudes of distance-workers and office-workers displayed interesting differences: (1) There is a general consensus among both office and distance-workers that distance-working is an attractive work mode from an individual perspective; (2) Distance-working is cost effective and numerous environmental gains are achieved; (3) Distance-working is interesting from a business point of view especially as regards the service sector. A decrease in overall costs can be acquired through lower rental expenses and more effective use of the existing work space; (4) Distance-working enhances the perception of productivity of those who work at home, while the reverse is true for office workers; (5) Distance-working creates loyal colleagues who are involved in their duties and who work more efficiently; (6) Distance-working reduces the sense of solidarity for those who work at the office; (7) Distance-working reduces stress for those who work at home but increases the stress for office workers; (8) Distance-working is suitable for independent individuals as it accentuates the need for computer skills. Those not familiar with rapid technological progress will have problems adjusting; (9) Distance-working may divide workers into new groups of competence and attitude. These different groups will need support and encouragement. Individual grasp of modern information technology will prove vital when new occupational roles are formed. Varying attitudes may create an upper and lower class of workers; (10) Distance-work will reshape office roles. Skills in accessing information will determine new role patterns in future organisational structure; and (11) Distance-workers experienced increased productivity. (A)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/14011271
• Corporate Authors:

  KOMMUNIKATIONSFORSKNINGSBEREDNINGEN

  BOX 5706
  STOCKHOLM,   Sweden  S-114 97
• Authors:
  • VON SCHEELE, F
  • OHLSSON, K
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 31p+a p.
• Serial:
  • KFB-MEDDELANDE
  • Issue Number: 1997:26
  • Publisher: KOMMUNIKATIONSFORSKNINGSBEREDNINGEN
  • ISSN: 1401-1271

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Consumer preferences; Economic efficiency; Evaluation and assessment; Interviewing; Mode choice; Sociology; Stress (Psychology); Telecommuting; Travel demand
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• ITRD Terms: 2267: Attitude (psychol); 287: Attractiveness (transp); 5911: Efficiency; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 9147: Interview; 2253: Sociology; 2234: Stress (psychol); 9127: Teleworking
• Subject Areas: Economics; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00768512
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Sep 10 1999 12:00AM