Proceedings of 8th European Assembly on telework (Telework2001)

133work more effective, producing higher outputs. It seems that in order to dissolve such fears theinterrelation between telework and effective work performance should be demonstrated moreconvincingly.Corporate Case StudiesMatávThe leading Hungarian telecom company MATÁV launched a corporate telework project in thebeginning <strong>of</strong> 2001. According to the decision <strong>of</strong> the management board a total <strong>of</strong> 250 employeeswill be allowed to perform part <strong>of</strong> their work from home. So far 80 employees out <strong>of</strong> 14,380 havesigned the telework agreement and were equipped with a home <strong>of</strong>fice. According to this agreementall teleworkers remain the employees <strong>of</strong> Matáv with equal conditions. The only difference is thespecification <strong>of</strong> work place and working hours. Teleworkers are allowed to work at home 2 daysa week and 3 days in the company’s <strong>of</strong>fice. All costs to create home <strong>of</strong>fices (PC or laptop, <strong>of</strong>ficefurniture, ISDN2 connection) are covered by the company.Participation in the telework project so far is only available by Budapest residents. Areas <strong>of</strong> workwhere the option <strong>of</strong> telework is provided include IT, product management, sales, customer support,project management, training and technical support. To inform future teleworkers about the issues<strong>of</strong> telework Matáv organized a training for those interested, prepared a printed information bookletcalled „Telework Guide” and provides additional information via the company’s intranet network.First teleworkers reported that the productivity <strong>of</strong> the work performed at home is better than in the<strong>of</strong>fice.MOLAt MOL - the biggest Hungarian oil company - 73 employees telework today out <strong>of</strong> 18 016employees. The manager <strong>of</strong> MOL expressed in an interview that based on positive experiencegained from the project the number <strong>of</strong> employees allowed to work from a distance will definitelygrow.Forms <strong>of</strong> Telework/TelecommutingMost companies in Hungary tend not to accept the idea that corporate teleworkers are to workpermanently, each day <strong>of</strong> the week, at home. The relative majority would prefer the solution thatteleworkers work 3-4 days at home and go to their place <strong>of</strong> work for the rest <strong>of</strong> the week.Most companies however, prefer staff to be self-employed because it reduces labor costs. Thepopularity <strong>of</strong> the entrepreneurship form is certainly not independent <strong>of</strong> the fact that the currentpractice in Hungary prefers entering entrepreneurial agreements in order to diminish wage costs.Most companies in the event they would employ telework, would establish a relation with theteleworker as an independent entrepreneur. Thus there is a sharp difference in accepting a workrelationship with an entrepreneur versus an employee. Only a few companies would put teleworkerson the payroll, the majority <strong>of</strong> them would prefer to work with teleworkers as independententrepreneurs.