Definition: Remote Work

Teleworking, or remote work, is a form of work organization which allows an employee to work outside of their company premises.

This practice has seen considerable growth since the COVID-19 health crisis.

According to a study conducted by the “Empreinte Humaine” barometer in 2021, 41% of French people telework full or part time (Empreinte Humaine, 2021).

In this article, we will discuss the definition of teleworking, its advantages and disadvantages, as well as the digital tools that can facilitate its practice.

Definition of teleworking

Teleworking is defined as “a form of work organization in which work which could also have been carried out on the employer's premises is carried out by an employee outside these premises on a regular and voluntary basis using teleworking technologies. “information and communication” (Ministry of Labor, 2017).

It can be practiced full or part time, regularly or occasionally.

Teleworking can take different forms: working from home, in a coworking space or in a telecenter.

Advantages and disadvantages of teleworking

Teleworking has many advantages, both for employees and for companies.

For employees, it allows them to gain autonomy and responsibility, reduce travel times and benefit from a better balance between professional and personal life (ANACT, 2020).

For companies, it helps reduce real estate costs, improve employee productivity and strengthen their attractiveness (Malherbet, 2020).

However, teleworking can also have disadvantages, such as social isolation, difficulty separating professional and personal life, or even increased workload (Dugué and others, 2021).

To overcome these disadvantages, it is important to put in place suitable management tools and practices, such as online communication and collaboration tools, flexible working hours or even moments of remote socialization.

Digital tools for teleworking

There are many digital tools that can facilitate the practice of teleworking.

Online communication and collaboration tools, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams or Zoom, make it possible to maintain connections between employees and work as a team remotely.

Project management tools, such as Trello or Asana, allow you to plan and monitor the tasks of each employee.

Finally, workspace reservation tools, such as BeeMyFlex, allow employees to reserve places in shared workspaces and see who is in the office.

Conclusion

Teleworking is a practice that is increasingly developing in companies, offering many advantages but also disadvantages.

To facilitate its practice, it is important to put in place suitable management tools and practices, such as online communication and collaboration tools or project management tools.

Workspace reservation tools, like BeeMyFlex, can also help employees better organize their remote work.