Telework in Perspective — New Challenges to Occupational Health and Safety

Abstract

The emerging information society gives rise to new, flexible work styles of which telework can be regarded as a typical example. In order to explore the impact of „flexible“ working conditions on well-being and health, a questionnaire was designed and administered to 1.400, highly skilled freelancing teleworkers in the media sector. The following results are based upon the data of the first part of a longitudinal study. The response rate amounted to 15 %, which not only poses methodological problems but also highlights the challenge researchers and practitioners face when trying to access a dispersed workforce. The results point to some ambivalence in the work situation of the freelancers under study. High work motivation, high skill utilization and task variety are coupled with a high level of time pressure, recurrent fluctuations in the amount of work and conflicting work demands (i.e., demands for high performance and tight deadlines) and long working hours. When disconnected from supportive networks, teleworkers with challenging demands will have difficulties in setting limits to their workload and in recovery. So importance should be attached to detect early signs of potential health risks, particularly in young workers. Moreover, theoretical concepts for studying work organization in relation to health risks have to be revised to account for the health aspects of flexible work styles.