We, the signatories, facing the current social and economic changes in Europe and the transition from an industrial society to the Information Society, belive that teleworking as a new mode of work organization and management, hast the potential to contribute substantially to improving the quality of llife, sustainable working practices and equal participation by citizens at all levels.
Telework in this context is defined as a way of working using information and communications technology (ICT), in which work is carried out independent of location - particularly at a location other than the traditional workplace. With appropriate support it can enable people to work (one or more days per week) from home, from local shared offices, or on the move. It can enable people in rural or peripheral areas to maintain and develop their livelihoods.
In signing this Charter we support measures to give effect to the positive potential of teleworking, particularly in the following key areas:
Employment: given a new focus on telework employment generation as new services are introduced, teleworking has the potential to increase employment (particularly for presently disadvantaged groups), self-employment and the development of small enterprises.
Working life: telework has the potential to introduce new flexibility for the employee to co-ordinate working life with other obligations and activities, releasing time for private or family life and for skills development.
Quality of life: telework can stimulate new patterns of social cohesion, public services and cultural life, particularly in disadvantaged areas and remote regions, by allowing people to remain in their communities and not be forced to seek work elsewhere.
Organizational design of economic activity and public administration: teleworking has the potential to increase productivity, and thereby increase competitiveness and efficiency.
Democracy and politics: teleworking within the political domain can provide new opportunities for the public and politicians to interact regardless of distance. By enhanced use of ICT the democratic process can expand and become more interactive.
Environment and sustainable develeopment: telework means taking work to the individual, not the individual to work. It can benefit employers and employees alike by saving the time and expense of commuting and by reducing the costs of office space and business travel. The extensive adoption of teleworking could considerably reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
We acknowledge and aim to address the very real difficulties and concerns of organizations and individuals who are coping with the rapid pace of change as the electronic revolution gathers speed and re-shapes the living and working conditions of the majority of Europeans. Taking the challenges of the Information Society into account, we appreciate the need to modernize the contractual framework of working live, working methods and work organization.
We appreciate the urgent need for guidelines on the implementation, organization and deployment of telework across Europe, with the aim of encouraging Best Practice in teleworking for those employed both in small businesses and in large organizations, as well as for the self-employed.
We commit ourselves to support and participate actively in the process of developing pan-European guidelines on telework and to promote those actions which are required to place Europe as a leading pioneer of economically, environmentally and socially acceptable policies, strategies and working practices for the Information Society.
We, the signatories, facing the current social and economic changes in Europe and the transition from an industrial society to the Information Society, belive that teleworking as a new mode of work organization and management, hast the potential to contribute substantially to improving the quality of llife, sustainable working practices and equal participation by citizens at all levels.
Telework in this context is defined as a way of working using information and communications technology (ICT), in which work is carried out independent of location - particularly at a location other than the traditional workplace. With appropriate support it can enable people to work (one or more days per week) from home, from local shared offices, or on the move. It can enable people in rural or peripheral areas to maintain and develop their livelihoods.
In signing this Charter we support measures to give effect to the positive potential of teleworking, particularly in the following key areas:
Employment: given a new focus on telework employment generation as new services are introduced, teleworking has the potential to increase employment (particularly for presently disadvantaged groups), self-employment and the development of small enterprises.
Working life: telework has the potential to introduce new flexibility for the employee to co-ordinate working life with other obligations and activities, releasing time for private or family life and for skills development.
Quality of life: telework can stimulate new patterns of social cohesion, public services and cultural life, particularly in disadvantaged areas and remote regions, by allowing people to remain in their communities and not be forced to seek work elsewhere.
Organizational design of economic activity and public administration: teleworking has the potential to increase productivity, and thereby increase competitiveness and efficiency.
Democracy and politics: teleworking within the political domain can provide new opportunities for the public and politicians to interact regardless of distance. By enhanced use of ICT the democratic process can expand and become more interactive.
Environment and sustainable develeopment: telework means taking work to the individual, not the individual to work. It can benefit employers and employees alike by saving the time and expense of commuting and by reducing the costs of office space and business travel. The extensive adoption of teleworking could considerably reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
We acknowledge and aim to address the very real difficulties and concerns of organizations and individuals who are coping with the rapid pace of change as the electronic revolution gathers speed and re-shapes the living and working conditions of the majority of Europeans. Taking the challenges of the Information Society into account, we appreciate the need to modernize the contractual framework of working live, working methods and work organization.
We appreciate the urgent need for guidelines on the implementation, organization and deployment of telework across Europe, with the aim of encouraging Best Practice in teleworking for those employed both in small businesses and in large organizations, as well as for the self-employed.
We commit ourselves to support and participate actively in the process of developing pan-European guidelines on telework and to promote those actions which are required to place Europe as a leading pioneer of economically, environmentally and socially acceptable policies, strategies and working practices for the Information Society.
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