1996 - European Telework Week

Telework 96
critical times on ad hoc basis. Companies that have engaged in the BPR process become
slimmer, flatter with fewer layers of management. They depend also on advanced
communications systems enabling location independent work.
At the heart of both BPR and Telework lies a greater use of IT and telecommunications
systems, with work being distributed among networks of people and individuals. These
are key features of re-engineered businesses, conducive to teleworking: The shift from
simple tasks to multi-dimensional work; the performance focus from presence to results,
empowerment and location independence.
At the heart of both BPR and Telework lies a greater use of IT and
telecommunications systems, with work being distributed among networks of people
and individuals.
As the structure of organisations changes so does the structure of work. Teleworking is
part of the new way of working in modern enterprises. One major contrast exists
however: decisions to implement BPR are taken at strategic and high levels of
management, whereas telework tends to be initiated by personnel departments at
relatively low levels of management. If telework is to be used as a flexible tool for
reorganisation, it needs a focus at strategic levels of management.
2.4.3. New opportunities
Research in the USA suggests that BPR creates new enterprises and new jobs - often
involving teleworkers. Teleworking itself also opens up new opportunities for more work
for disadvantaged people and for disadvantaged regions by allowing people to earn a
living near home rather than having to travel to a city centre. However, traditional
Labour unions feel threatened by teleworking. Where lost jobs have been replaced by
part-time or self employed teleworkers, trade unions in Europe have been concerned.
Teleworking must not become a means by which firms by-pass good employment
practice. In addition, teleworking and the rise of self-employed/part-time/contract
working raises important questions for social welfare policies. A much more fluid
workforce will require different social benefits systems.
If telework is to be used as a flexible tool for reorganisation, it needs a focus at
strategic levels of management. Research in the USA suggests that BPR creates new
enterprises and new jobs - often involving teleworkers. Teleworking requires a highly
skilled workforce.
Therefore in those societies where there is an educational and skills gulf between the
skilled and the unskilled teleworking could well result in an even greater proportion of
work flowing towards the better educated and better skilled populace and away from
those who lack the requisite qualifications. This problem can be compounded by
national welfare systems which are largely founded on the premise that people work fulltime
or not at all. Individual companies and governments policy makers need to prepare
for the age of teleworking. Individuals should be encouraged to re-train with teleworking
in mind, and companies that are reducing their core workforce as a result of BPR should
offer to prepare and equip redundant workers with at least some of the skills that they
will require in order to telework outside the new core. For governments the key issues in
this context will be a) how to adjust their education and training programmes to a much
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