Our economy will be transformed by the new opportunities presented by modern information and communications technologies and eWorking is essential to provide enhanced flexibility that will help to overcome the logistical and labour pool bottlenecks that economic growth will eventually bring about.
Certainly not an entitlement or a privilege for employees, eWorking is a way of meeting business goals. Jobs that are suitable for eWorking tend to have a high degree of information processing; clearly defined objectives and measurable outputs, and minimal requirements for supervision. It fits easily within a performance management culture, one that is focused on results.
Recent studies, corroborated with hands on experiences, have shown that great benefits are accrued from successful eWork programmes. The most common benefits for the employer are improved productivity - resulting from fewer distractions because of the office environment and less non-productive travelling time; reduced costs - savings on staff time, premises costs and office overheads; better staff retention and lower recruitment costs; better use of facilities and savings on infrastructural costs; improved customer service - shorter response time, simpler contact procedures and a new services option without overtime payments. In addition, organisations will be more resilient in the face of external disruptions such as transport strikes or severe weather.
The individual also stands to benefit through less travel time and costs - this might be the prime motivator for eWorkers; improved work opportunities - opportunities are not confined to jobs within commuting distance; better balance of work and family life - an eWorker may put in more hours of effective work but can still see more of the family and can easily participate in home responsibilities; participation in the local community - better use of free time; and flexible hours - some prefer to work in the early morning, some late at night.
Then there are also social and economic advantages. We are now used to heavy traffic congestions during the rush hours prior to clocking in and again after the offices are closed. It is proven how much more traffic flows even when 10 per cent of commuters are away from their place of work. Furthermore, eWorkers tend to commute during off-peak times. Such workers do generate a net reduction in total car travel and, consequently, they also contribute towards anti-pollution measures.
Potentially, eWork can enable unemployed people to have access to work opportunities that arise locally and anywhere worldwide. However, the individual must have skills that are high in demand plus skills in electronic networking.
Also, eWork can help in providing access to work and social interaction for people with disabilities that find it difficult to travel to work or to do a normal eight-to-five working day. The same applies to single parents who need to be at home for their children and carers who look after their elderly or sick relatives. Thus, eWork should be an important element of our economic regeneration programme.
What are the drawbacks? Home based eWork is demotivating for some people who are not self-starters and who need external discipline provided by set hours and a managed environment. For others "going to work" is indispensable since it is over there where they make friends and develop their social skills and contacts.
Many homes are not well equipped to carry out certain types of eWork. An individual could have problems focusing on completing a series of tasks in a small apartment with noisy neighbours. The majority of our management systems and cultures are not yet well adapted to the flexibility that eWork entails. Managers lack confidence in their ability to "manage at a distance" and most of them feel that home-based workers would be inclined to under-perform. Not all tasks are best performed in a distributed self-disciplined environment. There are many tasks that could only be successfully dealt with if performed as teamwork under the same roof.
None of these considerations is necessarily a barrier to eWork. Most importantly is that if we decide to embark on eWorking programmes we must ensure that these are applied in the right circumstances and in the right way. The setting up of "telecentres" in our towns and villages would minimise such obstacles. Perhaps our Employment and Training Corporation should carry out a feasibility study to establish whether this concept of eWork could be introduced through a pilot project co-managed by the private sector and the government employment agency. Fiscal incentives could also motivate people to opt for eWork. The government may also introduce schemes which encourage "distance working" opportunities.
Whereas the idea of farming out certain tasks to "home workers" within the manufacturing sector was quite effective since its introduction in Malta way back in the 1980s, we have done very little so far to integrate this modern concept of work into our labour market and economic activity.
In other countries, such as the United States and Ireland, eWorking has provided significant benefits to employers, employees, self-employed and entrepreneurs. It should not be any different in our case.
Electronic working is a smarter way to work - it is in effect the future of work.
Autor/Author: Emmanuel Micallef
Quelle/Source: Times of Malta, 19.05.2006
