Telework as a tool for extending work life

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Telework as a tool forextending work life

• René Arvola

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Birth of telework concept

• By the general agreement the concept of telework
  was first introduced by Jack Nilles et al in
  1976 in a study on the trade-off between
  commuting and homework, inspired by the
  energycrisis.
• Nilles, J.M., F.R. Carlson, P. Gray, G.J.
  Hanneman (1976), The Telecommunications-Transporta
  tion tradeoff Options for Tomorrow. New York J.
  Wiley and Sons.
• The general idea behind their study was why
  transport people when one can transport
  information?
• Focus was on reducing commuting.

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Telework

• Telework is a work carried out outside the
  central office, involving new technology that
  permits communication

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Proportion of older people in EU in 2025(Juhani
Ilmarinen, 2002)

• In the European Union, the proportion of 50-64
  years old workers will be about 35 in 2025
• Which will be double the size compared to younger
  workers of 15-24 years of age (17)
• Actual retirement age has dropped from 65 to 60
  years

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Future perspectives?

• Postponing state retirement age?
• Decreasing quality of life of retired people?
• Increasing taxes of working population?
• or ... ?

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Age-related Changes(Reidar J. Mykletun, 2006)

• Declining with age
• Seeing, hearing, memory
• Physical strength
• Speed
• Endurance
• Capacity for change
• Learning abilities ?
• Getting things done ?
• Low sick leave?
• Handling PC
• Creativity ?

• Increasing with age
• Avoiding accidents/mistakes
• Precision and patience
• Loyalty and independence
• Work ethics
• Responsibility
• Contact with customer
• Communication skills
• Problem solving abilities
• Task comprehension
• Leadership abilities
• Assessment abilities
• Conflict solutions
• Judging characters
• Handling stress / strain ?

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Research method

• Respondents were 260 of academic personnel of TUT
  (total number 1394)
• Questions about
• Telework usage
• Age and health factors
• Productivity
• Work conditions at home and at work
• Why do they telework
• etc

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Results
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Conclusions

• Telework is ordinary form of work for knowledge
  workers
• Telework can increase employment of senior
  knowledge workers
• Telework is also option for disabled people and
  young parents who are at home with children
• Using telework offers flexibility and better
  working conditions

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Practical implications

• For knowledge work partial telework offers
  possibility to combine privacy and cooperation
• Telework offers older specialists or managers an
  option to work mostly from home
• Optimum amount of telework seems to be 1 or 2
  days per week

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