When large-scale teleworking and remote management become the norm overnight
Published in the Nr SP - Spring 2020
MONTHLY FOCUS
In a matter of weeks, and sometimes even less, public services everywhere have been forced to reorganise. They have had to activate their business continuity plans and switch a large portion of their staff over to teleworking at every level of the hierarchy. This completely unprecedented and worldwide state of affairs, which effectively imposes remote management, has upended the standard models and rhythms that form the basis of our organisations.
Although the expansion of technology and the digital world has helped make this a reality in many sectors, there are gaping disparities between countries with regard to telework. It appears that a pragmatic approach in which the benefits are shared have led some countries to promote this way of working.
In the second half of 2018, the European Public Administration Network (EUPAN) conducted a study (1), coordinated by Austria, which assessed new forms of work in every Member State.
Two European countries, the Netherlands and Finland, are already ahead of the game:
• To encourage an increasing number of staff to work from home, the Dutch government pays them a monthly allowance of €80.23 for using their private space as well as an equipment bonus of €1,815 over five years. It should be noted that these amounts are tax-free. For even greater flexibility, this sum has recently been integrated into the "Individual Choice Budget" (IKB) (2). Teleworkers who wish to do so can convert the payment into days of paid leave, additional pension contributions or to finance training not covered by their employer.
• In 2019, the Finnish administration, which had already put in place a strong national agreement on teleworking, launched the "Työ 2.0" (Work 2.0) project (3), with the guiding principle of "it's not where the work is accomplished that counts, but what is accomplished". To encourage a sense of friendly competition, an ad hoc platform publishes best practices. In a country with wide variations in population density, and where work-life balance is a priority, the government is constantly striving to offer its employees the same opportunities as the private sector, which uses teleworking extensively.
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A fear that interacting less with one's colleagues may loosen social ties makes some people hesitate to take the plunge. In response, several countries are providing alternatives by creating a network of shared workspaces that can be reserved, thus breaking the isolation. This is the case in Belgium, where the federal administration has opened "satellite offices", a system that also gives people who cannot work from home the opportunity to work remotely. In Canada, with the new "GCcoworking" project, several sites have been developed. They are equipped with various modules that enable users to work individually or collectively, organise meetings and enjoy a feeling of camaraderie.
Norway has opted to sensitise its managers to distance management, which requires a different approach. To help them ensure that everyone's work is recognised in order to maintain equal levels of commitment, the Department of Employer Policy has drawn up a best practices guide (4) to the use of digital tools, how to lead meetings and remote monitoring of assignments. A dedicated unit of experts is available to support them in their approach.
Under normal circumstances, the use of telework has been widening. However, the rate remains fairly low when there are team responsibilities involved, or when a unit needs to be managed, to the point that many managers consider themselves ineligible for telework on the grounds of incompatibility. Australia has decided to counter this misconception with "All roles flex" (5), an initiative that mainstreams organisational flexibility in all of its forms (variable working times, teleworking, part-time employment), regardless of hierarchical level. The government considers this measure indispensable in maintaining the appeal of public service, and has established a set of guidelines to facilitate its implementation.
Some countries were thus "a bit more prepared" when they had to implement wide-scale teleworking, either because it was already well established in the national administrative culture, or because digital applications and tools had been designed with this specific possibility in mind.
Countries that imposed self-isolation measures – but others as well – have now made telework compulsory for all staff whose on-site presence is not considered indispensable. Italy, which has been badly hit, has had to roll out its "Lavoro agile" initiative (6) on a large scale, whereas the original plan called for 10% of the workforce to be teleworking within three years' time. The civil service has set up a monitoring system that enables it to collect data and track changes in real time. Accessible to all, it issues reference documents and standards, as well as tools and guidance on best practices for adopting and implementing intelligent solutions.
France's Grand Est region, which has suffered heavily during the epidemic, quickly rolled out a "Guide to Remote Management in Exceptional Situations" (7). The authors of this collective effort set themselves the goal of providing fast, practical answers to managers and staff. The guide emphasises the importance of communication between managers and employees, managing priorities, and redesigning working methods at a time when daily life is in disruption. Other regional initiatives (New Aquitaine, Ile-de-France) are following suit. The École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) has published a bilingual infographic (in French and English) with practical advice on how to make teleworking a good experience. At government level, the Directorate for Digital Affairs is rolling out two new collaborative tools.
1 Study "New Ways of Working in Public Administration" - Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
2 Teleworking and individual choice bonus "IKB"- Dutch ministry of the Interior (in Dutch), (machine translation into English)
3 Project "Työ 2.0" - Finnish ministry of Finance (in Finnish), (machine translation into English)
4 Guide "Remote leadership" - Norwegian Agency for Public Employers (in Norwegian), (machine translation into English)
5 Initiative "All Roles Flex" - Australian Public Service Commission
6 Programme "Lavore agile" - Italian ministry for Public Administration (in Italian), (machine translation into English)
7 Guide "Remote Management in Exceptional Situations" - Grand Est Region (in French)
Reading suggestions / best practices :
"Le management à distance - réflexions et perspectives", produced by the association of post and telecommunications managers
"Manager le travail à distance et le télétravail", by Daniel Ollivier, Cereso Editions (April 2019)
"https://www.rhinfoge.fr/actualites/guide-du-management-a-distance/
"https://www.myrhline.com/actualite-rh/manager-a-distance-bonnes-pratiques.html
"https://www.bouyguestelecom-entreprises.fr/bblog/teletravail-4-regles-dor-pour-manager-a-distance/
Social distancing recommanded:
All the updated information about COVID-19 :
https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19