ways2work > How to do it > Re-thinking commuting > Reducing commuting through ICT > Unintended consequences of teleworking?
Unintended consequences of teleworking?
To convince you that "we don't know what we don't know" (see here) is the best mindset for adopting teleworking here are some unintended consequences.
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Jealousy from office-based colleagues. Office-based staff may feel that teleworkers are privileged. Make it clear that telework suits some jobs and some people, but it isn't a value judgement. Office-based staff may, however, legitimately complain that they pick up incidental work that teleworkers avoid by not being around. Find out what this work is and either distribute it fairly or recognise it in job descriptions
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Too much to carry. When teleworkers do come into the office, and especially if they carry their laptop computer into a hot desk facility, it's common for them to complain about the amount they must physically carry. So
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try to make as much "paperwork" as possible electronic
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ensure there are lockable storage bins in the office or around the hot desks
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think about using wheelable flight bags
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Unfit for work. Carrying loads to and from the office may provide some exercise, but probably not enough. Teleworkers find it very easy to sit at their desks all day, not getting even the change of posture from walking around an office. BT counters this with engaging advice about keeping fit for work
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Time to nap. Out of the office, teleworkers can also more readily take a nap. According to the Harvard Business Review, a nap rejuvenates the mind, fortifies the memory and should be taken between 1pm and 3pm for 30 minutes
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Autonomy is treasured. A major review of 46 academic studies of teleworking, covering nearly 13,000 people, came to the conclusion that the number one benefit to teleworkers was feelings of increased autonomy and independence. That is, being out of the office was principally valued because it meant being away from the boss