Telework: Real-life results
Given the controvery over telework and the many opinions and meta-arguments voiced over the past few weeks, it seems important to get back to real world data.
Below are a few statistics from a European company that implemented a telework program:
- Productivity increase 15%
- Short illness decrease 20%
- Employee satisfaction increase 9%
- Commuter kilometers traveled decrease 30%
- Required office space decrease 50%
The clear message from this presentation was that technology alone isn’t the solution. These results were realized in large part due to strong implementation support and ongoing management (and measurement) of the results.
Another interesting message is that the savings pay for a lot of nice extras. For example, the company gave employees bluetooth headsets, desks, chairs, laptops or as they called it: a “suitcase” for telework to make sure that the employee was comfortable and had the tools to be productive at home. These things were “given” to the employees (a perk for them) and in the end cheaper than the company managing inventory in thousands of additional “offices.”
