Benefits and Challenges of COVID-19 Induced Telework Across Gender: Policy Lessons for Sustainable Future Telework

Abstract

An evident repercussion of COVID-19 on the organization of work has been a shift to telework. However, the challenges and benefits for employees induced by telework and lessons for its sustainable future are less documented. Acknowledging the current significance of telework and its potential role in the future, we first elicit information on the most important benefits and challenges of telework across men and women and subsequently propose policies for a smooth adoption and a sustainable future of telework. Based on 222 survey responses from the US and Japan collected online in the second quarter of 2020 employing Qualtrics, we find that both men and women equally report enhanced challenges caused by teleworking. The most frequently cited challenges include work concentration issues, infrastructural gaps, employee coordination and communication difficulties, and longer working hours. On the benefits side, more men than women report a comfortable home environment, minimal direct supervision, money saved on the commute, and fewer work meetings, as key benefits of telework. Given the common challenges across men and women, work organizations need to be proactive in designing policies for a smooth transition to telework and minimizing the divide among workers. In this regard, we propose the following policies. First, quick and extensive investments in infrastructure and technology necessary for telework and its dissemination should be prioritized by organizations. Second, HR divisions need to be more active than ever to reskill and upskill the workforce with digital abilities and artificial intelligence (AI), as these are essential for telework. Third, organizations need to utilize digital tools and devise new systems to minimize work-related coordination and communication issues, promote employee engagement through innovative tools, and most importantly, ensure indirect but empathetic employee supervision. We believe a combination of these policies can achieve a sustainable future of telework while bridging the digital divide among workers.