Abstract
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly led to some of the most revolutionary changes in private and professional life around the world. While the extent and duration of these changes are not certain, they have already had a great impact on travel patterns. This is also the case in Sweden, despite its relatively liberal approach to restrictions, which relies on voluntary measures such as social distancing and self-monitoring for symptoms.MethodologyDue to the pandemic, a shift to telework and virtual meetings is being tested in what can be seen as a large-scale experiment, and the knowledge and experience from that experiment may have lasting effects on everyday life. This study seeks to analyse the effects of government and public agencies’ recommendations on meeting and travel behaviour on employees at five public agencies in Sweden.ResultsThe results indicate that the public authorities surveyed were well prepared and had a ‘backup collaboration solution’, at least technically, to make a rapid behavioural shift when travel was not an option. Though the Swedish government’s and Public Health Authority’s strong recommendations have led to the most dramatic reductions in work-related travel in modern times, the operations in Swedish agencies continue to function, along with the employees’ communications and collaborations. These results indicate that there is great potential for digital tools to influence if and how we commute and make business trips. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that such tools can make the impossible possible.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly led to some of the most revolutionary changes in private and professional life around the world
Self-isolation and travel restrictions have resulted in a dramatic reduction in the demand for passenger transport, including public transport, as potential passengers are concerned about being infected by other travellers
The results show that the more days the respondent commuted prior to the pandemic, the lower he or she ranked how well teleworking worked during COVID19
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly led to some of the most revolutionary changes in private and professional life around the world. While the extent and duration of these changes are not certain, they have already had a great impact on travel patterns This is the case in Sweden, despite its relatively liberal approach to restrictions, which relies on voluntary measures such as social distancing and self-monitoring for symptoms. A virtual meeting is real-time communication between geographically separated parties by means of digital devices [40] Such a non-travel alternative may be considered before a business trip is booked. The main advantages of virtual meetings for companies are streamlined operations, decreased travel costs, time savings, and reduced environmental impact. Another possible benefit is increased opportunities for national and international cooperation and increased competitiveness. Virtual meetings mean less time spent on business trips, which may have positive effects on both work and leisure [35]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
