There are upsides and downsides to teleworking. But what you should really be asking is: what do your employees think about it?
‘Hybrid-teleworking’ – which refers to teleworking one to three days per week – is catching on with employees and managers across Australia, a new report from Cisco Systems has revealed.
Undertaken by the University of Melbourne’s Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society and AUT University’s NZ Work Research Institute, the study surveyed over 1,800 employees, close to 100 managers and 50 organisations across Australia and New Zealand.
Seventy-one per cent of employees stated that teleworking favourably impacted their attitude to their work, and suggested that it would help with retention. Teleworking technologies were found to fit in with the way 73% worked, with productivity rating 12% higher for those who teleworked than those who didn’t.
A minority (4%) felt teleworking made it difficult to collaborate.
The problems and precautions of teleworking have been detailed by HC in the past, and as such many employers shy away from incorporating it into their workforce. However, Cisco’s study demonstrated that the growing trend of ‘hybrid-teleworking’ may be the solution.
Hybrid-teleworking is growing, with 89% of employee surveyed stating they telework one or more hours a week, with many working either less than eight hours per week (35%) or one-to-three days per week (38%). Sixteen per cent stated they telework more than three days a week.
While this does not remove the need for appropriate procedures and policies, it may give employers peace of mind that their staff are still coming into an office during the week, while also reaping the benefits of a teleworking workforce.
“We have also found that organisations could benefit even further by undertaking more cost-benefit analysis of their teleworking arrangements, as most are not currently measuring the positive benefits of these work arrangements either culturally or in terms of the real estate savings,” Professor Tim Bentley, director of AUT University’s NZ Work Research Institute, said.
What do you think of ‘hybrid-teleworking’? Is it the best of both worlds, or are there other complications the study isn’t addressing?
