CG: n
CT: The future of teleworking: A place-based toolkit for local development.
This project aims to support national, regional and local governments of the OECD in promoting a smooth transition to the likely large-scale and enduring use of teleworking conducive to sustainable social and economic local development. This project takes a neutral stance and aims to inform policy solutions for countries and regions seeking to capitalise on teleworking potential.
S: OECD – https://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/teleworking-toolkit.htm (last access: 14 March 2023)
N: 1. From “tele-” (before vowels tel-, word-forming element meaning “far, far off, operating over distance” (also, since c. 1940, “television”), from Greek tele “far off, afar, at or to a distance,” related to teleos (genitive telos) “end, goal, completion, result,” from PIE root *kwel- (2) “far” in space or time.) and “working” (“action, operation,” verbal noun from verb work).
As a noun: telework (uncountable).
. remote work, telecommuting, employment as a teleworker.
As a verb: telework (third-person singular simple present “teleworks”, present participle “teleworking”, simple past and past participle “teleworked”).
. (computing, uncommon) To telecommute.
2. teleworking (chiefly British): the activity of working at home and communicating with customers or other workers by using a computer, telephone, etc.
3. Remote working has exploded in 2020, with estimates suggesting that almost 40% of people employed in the EU started teleworking fulltime as a result of the pandemic. ’What appeared to be an underlying trend that was slowly happening has been accelerated over a very short period of time,’ said Xabier Goenaga, of the EU’s in-house research service, the Joint Research Centre, and co-author of a 2019 report on the changing nature of work and skills in the digital age.
Prior to this year, about 5% of people in the EU worked regularly from home, a figure that had not changed much since 2009. And some sectors had more experience with teleworking than others. It is more prevalent with highly-skilled workers, where the highest rates were found among teachers, ICT professionals and managers.
There are regional disparities too. In 2019, remote working was more common in northern European countries such as Sweden, Finland and Denmark – and these countries have also seen the biggest proportion of workers begin to telework during the pandemic. It’s partly because there are more jobs in sectors conducive to remote work. 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.
‘They may not be organised for remote work because they don’t trust their employees to the same level as some companies in the north of Europe,’ he said. ‘I think that’s going to change substantially in the future as a result of the pandemic.’
S: 1. Etymonline – https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=tele-, https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=working (last access: 14 March 2023); Wiktionary – https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/telework (last access: 14 March 2023). 2. EncBrit – https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/teleworking (last access: 14 March 2023). 3. EC – https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/teleworking-here-stay-heres-what-it-means-future-work (last access: 14 March 2023).
OV: telework
S: GDT – https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/8393674/teletravail (last access: 14 March 2023)
SYN: telecommuting, remote work, remote working, mobile working. (depending on context)
S: GDT – https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/8393674/teletravail (last access: 14 March 2023)
CR: computer science, Internet.
