Teleworking in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Enabling Conditions for a Successful Transition

Abstract

There is a growing consensus that telework is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels after the pandemic is behind us, but is expected rather to become established. If telework is here to stay, it is essential that companies and policymakers understand the challenges associated with this modern way of organising work. This analysis aims to shed light on some of the key challenges that teleworking policies need to address in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. We briefly review the four categories of factors affecting remote work effectiveness and teleworkers’ well-being, with an emphasis on what lessons can be learned from the world’s largest work-from-home experiment.

Keywords: epidemic disease; working conditions; occupational health; telework; work-life balance; work organization; EU countries