Conclusions and recommendations for policy and practice

This chapter summarizes the main conclusions and recommendations for policy and practice arising from the country-specific analyses presented in the volume. It begins by reviewing the main drivers promoting the expansion of telework in the countries analysed in this volume, as well as the barriers that have restrained this expansion. The chapter continues with broad comparisons of the incidence and intensity (or extent) of telework in the different countries, followed by an extensive synthesis of the key findings for the following dimensions of the world of work: working time, work–life balance, occupational health and well-being, and individual and organizational performance. Policy responses relating to telework at the national, sectoral and company levels are reviewed and discussed. The chapter then provides recommendations for both national telework policy and company/organizational and individual practices that can promote the expansion of telework and can aid implementation in ways that maximize its advantages and limit its potential disadvantages. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the global outlook for the future of telework.