Introduction/ background/ objectives

The possibility of doing work at home dates back several centuries; however, technological development has allowed for the creation of new jobs based on it and eventually fully executed outside the employer's premises. In addition, the pandemic situation associated with SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) has encouraged many institutions to initiate or intensify telework. The purpose of this review was to summarize the most relevant data about the topic, in the context of Occupational Health.

Methodology

This is a Review, initiated through a survey conducted in April 2020, in the databases “CINALH plus with full text, Medline with full text, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, Nursing and Allied Health Collection: comprehensive, MedicLatina and RCAAP”.

Content

Telework is working at home, or at least outside the employer's conventional facilities, but in a previously stipulated and approved location, using technology.

In this review, data on the historical evolution of the work were summarized, highlighting the various Industrial Revolutions. Some national and especially international statistics were also included in the context of Telework. The main sub-types of Telework are also briefly described and what are the desirable characteristics in teleworkers and telemanagers. Finally, the main advantages and disadvantages mentioned in the consulted bibliography are highlighted.

Conclusions

Generally speaking, the perception of advantages and disadvantages depends on the employee's characteristics (such as personality, flexibility, autonomy, competence, need for socialization, posture and commitment to work); characteristics of the employer (management, malleability, valorization of human resources, means and procedures); the tasks themselves (ease or not of being teleworked); family characteristics (number of elements, age of children and relational quality); the household (size, lighting, furniture, equipment, area exclusive or not for the Telework); traffic, pollution and urban safety; as well as consequences for the relationship with the company, work and personal life (family and society); that is, the same aspect can be considered both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on the global context. Furthermore, in reality, Telework has such a diversity of conditions and characteristics, that consensus conclusions are not possible.

It is necessary for each institution to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of inserting the Telework and, if it decides to proceed, have a sense of what are the factors that can enhance and compromise the success of the project.

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