eWORK 2000 - European Telework Week

New Ways to Work 2000European TeleworkExamples of eWork projects and take-upDenmark saw a very wide range of projects and forms of eWork take up over the last year, these include:Telework Survey at Danish Association of Managers and ExecutivesLH, the Danish Association of Managers and executives (http://www.lederne.dk), undertook a survey in late1999 of 279 teleworking members which showed that 79% thought that tele-home-working has very positivebenefits for a healthy balance between work and family life.Further, the possibility of working from home when convenient or necessary is enabling more women, whostill tend to take more responsibility than men for home and family in this otherwise enlightened country,take up managerial and executive positions. This is promoting greater gender equality in the labour market.However, 49% of respondents thought that teleworking tends to lead to longer working hours and 53% thatit was more difficult to be completely free of work. On the other hand, 84% considered that teleworkingmakes it much easier to work without disturbance thereby improving productivity and quality.4Kids – the complete teleworking companyAll 28 employees of new web service company, 4Kids, telework from home, including the director, HelleLund. Every employee contributes to the web-site (http://www.4kids.dk), which provides support and adviceto Danish families with children, on a part time basis, and each has other part time or “full” timeoccupations. Although this makes it more demanding being a director, Helle Lund thinks that this veryunusual method of running a company is a signpost to the future. It enables work and family life to be betterbalanced, provides practical content for the web-site, and is firmly based on trust and confidence amongstall 4Kids workers.4Kids employees are widely spread geographically, with individuals in Zagreb, Bergen (Norway) as well asin Denmark. This form of virtual organisation demands a very clear and conscious psychological contractbetween the director and each employee. Demands on leadership are much greater than at a physicalworkplace, for example the director must consciously cultivate a company culture and be proactive incommunicating with all employees on a regular basis.ADP Dealer Services – Teleworking across time-zonesADP Dealer Services in Vejle, Denmark (http://www.adp.dk/) is part of a worldwide American-ownedcompany developing software for automobile dealers. About half of its approximately 200 employeestelework from home in the evening once or twice a week in order to achieve greater flexibility, includingestablishing real time contact to the USA during the latter’s office hours. This fits in well with family life asemployees can choose to be at home with the children in the afternoon and instead work later in the evening.The ability to work across time zones in this way is an essential competitive factor in the new economy.However, it could come into conflict with the EU directive on the need for at least 11 hours continuous restbreak per day if employees work late in the evening at home and then re-start work in the office next day at8 or 9 o’clock. This directive has been incorporated into Danish law since January 2000, but specialvoluntary agreements on an individual basis are now being sought in order to retain flexibility, which willallow shorter but more frequent rest breaks within certain limits. The company and the Danish Commerce &Services Employers’ Association (http://www.dhs.dk/) are confident that such individual agreements will beable to retain the spirit and effect of the EU directive without sacrificing the flexibility necessary toencourage international companies to place teleworking jobs in Denmark (and indeed the EU).- 58 -