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Conclusion
Conclusion
Australians have a reputation for enthusiastically embracing technology. This report shows how Australians are using the flexibilities offered by technology to change how we do work and how we do business. Examining the data collected in this study shows that teleworking is already a dynamic part of the Australian business environment. The Sensis® Business Index found that over one-third (34 per cent) of Australian small and medium enterprises have already introduced teleworking as part of their operating environment, with the Sensis® Consumer Report finding that 30 per cent of individuals that were employed or owned their own businesses reporting that they teleworked.
This report also presents a strong business case for the adoption of teleworking. The study found an overwhelmingly positive impact for teleworking, both from individuals and businesses. However, on balance, businesses reported even higher levels of satisfaction with teleworking than individuals, with individuals facing some negative consequences, while the business experience had almost no downside.
For individuals, 62 per cent of those that had teleworked reported a positive impact, and 73 per cent of businesses that had teleworking employees reported a positive impact. The key positive impacts reported by individuals were that it was more flexible and convenient, gave them an option to work from home and outside the office and increased productivity. Business owners cited the ability to access information from anywhere, improved productivity and time saving as the top positive impacts of teleworking.
In terms of negative aspects of teleworking, only 13 per cent of teleworking individuals reported a negative impact from teleworking, with the main negative impacts being a belief that it had not increased productivity, they had had to work longer hours and it meant that they had less time to spend with their families. Only one per cent of businesses reported negative impacts from teleworking, which were that they could not effectively manage their staff when they were working at home.
While businesses directly reported strong positive impacts from teleworking, this report also found independent correlation between teleworking and business performance. Businesses that had teleworking employees reported higher levels of business confidence and stronger levels of business performance across a range of economic indicators. This evidence further strengthens the business case for teleworking.
However, while the case for businesses to introduce teleworking was strong, the Sensis® Business Index found that only a further four per cent of businesses were currently looking at introducing teleworking. This compares to one-quarter of individuals that would like to telework. Importantly, this included some individuals that were not currently in the workforce, but would like to telework. The significance of this finding should not be overlooked. With the importance of demographic change and the impacts of an aging population having been highlighted in the Australian Government’s Intergenerational Report, this finding provides evidence that the increasing uptake of teleworking may assist in encouraging expansion of the Australian workforce.
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