[{"command":"settings","settings":{"ajaxPageState":{"theme":"hm_theme","theme_token":"Ule3czut4QX7o0YSOSiDmPJpgLF-G7lUdt2bpNP1n3g","libraries":"eJwDAAAAAAE"},"ajaxTrustedUrl":{"form_action_p_pvdeGsVG5zNF_XLGPTvYSKCf43t8qZYSwcfZl2uzM":true},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"2af85631393b514cbde3779a1f71d92618d53b94b54ea1960d28b2e2d121ff12"}},"merge":true},{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7294\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ETeleworking is here to stay \u2013 here\u2019s what it means for the future of work\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERemote working has exploded in 2020, with estimates suggesting that almost\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/jrc\/en\/news\/coronavirus-pandemic-reveals-large-differences-prevalence-telework-across-eu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E40% of people employed in the EU started teleworking fulltime as a result of the pandemic\u003C\/a\u003E. \u2019What appeared to be an underlying trend that was slowly happening has been accelerated over a very short period of time,\u2019 said Xabier Goenaga, of the EU\u2019s in-house research service, the Joint Research Centre, and co-author of a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/jrc\/en\/publication\/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports\/changing-nature-work-and-skills-digital-age\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E2019 report on the changing nature of work and skills in the digital age\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrior to this year, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/voxeu.org\/article\/potential-teleworking-europe-and-risk-new-digital-divide\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eabout 5% of people in the EU worked regularly from home\u003C\/a\u003E, a figure that had not changed much since 2009. And some sectors had more experience with teleworking than others. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/jrc\/sites\/jrcsh\/files\/jrc120945_policy_brief_-_covid_and_telework_final.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EIt is more prevalent with highly-skilled workers, where the highest rates were found among teachers, ICT professionals and managers\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are regional disparities too. In 2019, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/jrc\/sites\/jrcsh\/files\/jrc120945_policy_brief_-_covid_and_telework_final.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eremote working was more common in northern European countries such as Sweden, Finland and Denmark\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 and these countries have also seen the biggest proportion of workers begin to telework during the pandemic. It\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/voxeu.org\/article\/covid-19-lockdown-and-eu-labour-markets\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Epartly because there are more jobs in sectors conducive to remote work\u003C\/a\u003E. However, according to Goenaga, cultural differences are at play too since many workplaces are still set up in a more traditional way in southern Europe.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018They may not be organised for remote work because they don\u2019t trust their employees to the same level as some companies in the north of Europe,\u2019 he said. \u2018I think that\u2019s going to change substantially in the future as a result of the pandemic.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA switch to working from home could have advantages for employees. By doing away with daily commutes, they may gain more leisure time and a better work-life balance. And evidence suggests that in normal times, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/jrc\/en\/news\/coronavirus-pandemic-reveals-large-differences-prevalence-telework-across-eu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eproductivity isn\u2019t affected and can even be enhanced\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, there are risks to address as well. A \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eurofound.europa.eu\/publications\/report\/2020\/regulations-to-address-work-life-balance-in-digital-flexible-working-arrangements\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Erecent report\u003C\/a\u003E suggests that people may work longer hours and take fewer breaks than recommended by EU guidelines when at home, since it is harder to monitor working hours. And social isolation may be an issue too.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We have observed that people are feeling lonely and depressed and need social interaction to have a more balanced life,\u2019 said Goenaga. His team is currently researching the issue to see what can be done to help.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the pandemic, remote working has often had to be juggled with childcare due to school closures, where these multiple roles are often taken on by women. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/unric.org\/en\/concerns-are-raised-over-the-threat-of-covid-19-to-mental-health-in-europe\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EA recent survey\u003C\/a\u003E conducted in France found that mostly women reported that teleworking had a negative impact on their mental health. It is attributed to the extra family responsibilities they have shouldered during the pandemic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We should collectively address that and see what kind of measures we need to take so that (women) are not penalised again due to their gender,\u2019 said Goenaga.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPost-pandemic\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, once the pandemic ends, remote working is likely to continue. Tech companies such as Google \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/zackfriedman\/2020\/07\/27\/google-amazon-facebook-microsoft-twitter\/#35ef462435c8\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ehave already announced that their employees will work from home until the summer of 2021\u003C\/a\u003E. According to George Tilesch, a global AI consultant and author of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/betweenbrains.ai\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EBetween Brains\u003C\/a\u003E, a book about the present and future impact of artificial intelligence (AI), small companies will soon follow suit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeleworking is appealing to businesses since it cuts costs. A survey has shown that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.techrepublic.com\/article\/permanent-remote-work-may-also-mean-a-pay-cut\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Esome employees would even be willing to take a pay cut if they can work from home\u003C\/a\u003E. \u2018I think human nature has a tendency for sticking to one thing after they realise that it works,\u2019 said Tilesch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany companies may turn to AI to help with the transition to teleworking, particularly through real-time systems that can monitor remote employees. Surveillance technologies that keep track of what workers are doing, such as monitoring emails and who is accessing and editing files, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2019\/apr\/07\/uk-businesses-using-artifical-intelligence-to-monitor-staff-activity\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ealready exist\u003C\/a\u003E. But they could become more sophisticated and widespread.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECompanies will have to rethink cybersecurity too. During the pandemic, many employees were using external video conferencing platforms to communicate and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Business\/wireStory\/hackers-target-pandemic-video-conference-calls-70014187\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Esome were found to be prone to hacking\u003C\/a\u003E. \u2018Organisations have to be careful in their choice of video conference facilities used by teleworkers so that they minimise the risk of hacking and loss of sensitive information,\u2019 said Goenaga.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018I think human nature has a tendency for sticking to one thing after they realise that it works.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003E- George Tilesch, a global AI consultant \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDigital skills\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERetraining is also an issue since many people don\u2019t have the skills needed to work remotely. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/jrc\/en\/publication\/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports\/changing-nature-work-and-skills-digital-age\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EA recent EU report\u003C\/a\u003E, for example, found that one third of the EU labour force has very limited digital skills or none at all. However, the majority of jobs in the future will require at least moderate computer skills.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBig companies are already stepping forward to help unemployed people acquire digital skills. In June, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/blogs.microsoft.com\/blog\/2020\/06\/30\/microsoft-launches-initiative-to-help-25-million-people-worldwide-acquire-the-digital-skills-needed-in-a-covid-19-economy\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EMicrosoft launched a Covid-19 recovery programme\u003C\/a\u003E that will partner with LinkedIn to identify jobs that are in demand and the skills needed for them. They will then provide free access to relevant learning materials to anyone interested.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018These kinds of initiatives of industry taking the first step and hopefully being joined by government is the way the future will go,\u2019 said Tilesch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGoenaga thinks the EU will also start to provide training over the next 18 months as part of their coronavirus recovery efforts. \u2018I think there will be many programmes targeting the reskilling of the unemployed and upskilling of the working population,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf remote working is here to stay, it could have a profound impact on the regional distribution of jobs. Currently, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/jrc\/en\/publication\/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports\/changing-nature-work-and-skills-digital-age\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ethere are many more high-paying jobs in capital cities compared to other regions in a country\u003C\/a\u003E. But Goenaga thinks that teleworking could result in a reversal of this trend. \u2018Many people within companies may decide that they can do their jobs from a more remote location, which could be rural,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECompanies may also decide to scale down their office space. Since lockdowns have eased, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/english.elpais.com\/economy_and_business\/2020-05-12\/will-the-office-become-a-thing-of-the-past-in-spain.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eoffice capacity has been reduced by 30% to 50%\u003C\/a\u003E in some cases. Although current restrictions have largely been put in place to follow social distancing guidelines, companies may realise that they can permanently reduce the number of employees that work in-house. According to Tilesch, offices won\u2019t disappear altogether but will only need enough space for about 30% of their employees to be there at once.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the long run, adapting to remote working should be an advantage if another health emergency, or comparable situation, arises. \u2018Organisations that have already introduced massive teleworking are going to be prepared to introduce them again even more efficiently and effectively,\u2019 said Goenaga.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EXabier Goenaga \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eand George Tilesch will be speaking at a panel to discuss the future of work at the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/research-and-innovation\/events\/upcoming-events\/european-research-and-innovation-days_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEuropean Research and Innovation Days conference\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E which will take place online from 22-24 September. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-5owhoayrvraxkumripjqwyajsm5patyzgymv8eahajw\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-5oWHOAYRVrAXkumRIPjQWYAJSM5PaTyzGymV8eAhAJw\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]