1996 - European Telework Week

Telework 96
2.6. Local telework centres and transnational collaboration:
2.6.1. Executive summary
Teleworking is a growing phenomenon. Technological developments are opening up
new, more flexible, ways of working. It is no longer necessarily essential for individuals
to be physically present all the time at their employer's or client's premises. Instead they
can choose to telework - to work at a distance using information and telecommunications
technology.
The flexibility which teleworking can offer makes this method of working potentially
attractive both to individuals and to organisations. It can also be a way of bringing work
opportunities to less advantaged regions and to groups who might otherwise have less
opportunity to find paid employment.
The term teleworking is sometimes assumed to mean simply working from home.
However, telework can be undertaken from local centres as much as from individual
homes. Four projects funded by the European Commission under its Telework
Stimulation programme explored the role which Telecentres can play in supporting and
developing teleworking work practices. Their findings are summarised in this report.
As will be seen, the four projects shared in addition a common interest in establishing the
possibilities and potential of transnational forms of teleworking. All four also had in
common an enthusiasm for the pioneering work they were undertaking, reflected in the
successful outcomes of each project.
The four projects were:
* OFFNET. This project researched the potential for encouraging medium- to largescale
organisations to make use of neighbourhood offices located in community-based
Telecentres, as workbases for their employees or contractors.
* EVONET. This project explored the concept of providing computing facilities
available at centres for business travellers who needed access to facilities on an
informal short-term basis. EVONET also investigated ways for routing telephone calls
internationally through such centres, allowing companies to offer a 'virtual' presence
for sales and enquiries in other countries.
* TWIN. The TWIN project investigated the potential of teleworking for people with
disabilities, and examined the social and economic constraints which may prevent
them being able to find work in this way.
* The HRM Telework Centre project considered the possibilities of providing business
advice for smaller businesses, through an international on-line, networked, group of
advice centres.
Between them, the projects' experiences offer interesting and useful lessons for the
development of new forms of more flexible working in Europe.
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