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Teleworking and Travel Purposes: UK Evidence after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Belloc, Ignacio

    (University of Zaragoza)

  • Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio

    (University of Zaragoza)

  • Molina, José Alberto

    (University of Zaragoza)

Abstract

Telework has gained increasing popularity in recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, and is often considered a work practice that contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing commuting trips. However, the existing literature presents mixed findings regarding its potential effects on other types of travel, such as leisure and personal care trips. This paper examines the relationship between telework and daily travel time, utilizing data from the 2023 Extended Light Diary Digital Instrument (ELiDDI) survey, a nationally representative time use survey conducted in the UK in March 2023. Our findings indicate that teleworkers spend fewer minutes (e.g., 61 minutes) traveling per day compared to those working away from home, a result that remains robust even after excluding daily commuting time, suggesting that telework may lead to significant daily travel time savings. Further exploration reveals that telework is primarily related to reduced travel time for personal and housework-related activities, particularly among male teleworkers. These findings suggest that promoting telework policies could be an effective strategy not only for reducing commuting trips but also for achieving broader reductions in daily travel time, which may contribute to sustainability goals in the transportation sector and alleviate transportation-related environmental impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Belloc, Ignacio & Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto, 2024. "Teleworking and Travel Purposes: UK Evidence after the COVID-19 Pandemic," IZA Discussion Papers 17413, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17413
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. José María Barrero & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis, 2023. "The Evolution of Work from Home," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 37(4), pages 23-50, Fall.
    2. Mark Aguiar & Erik Hurst, 2007. "Measuring Trends in Leisure: The Allocation of Time Over Five Decades," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 969-1006.
    3. Gigi Foster & Charlene M. Kalenkoski, 2013. "Tobit or OLS? An empirical evaluation under different diary window lengths," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(20), pages 2994-3010, July.
    4. Kroesen, Maarten, 2022. "Working from home during the corona-crisis is associated with higher subjective well-being for women with long (pre-corona) commutes," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 14-23.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    daily travel time; travel purposes; telework; time use; ELiDDI data; COVID-19;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise

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