Telework in times of pandemic:

from advantages to uncertainties in the daily lives of families living in the Northern Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal

Abstract

Telework, adopted by many companies and institutions in response to the pandemic, has made a positive contribution to minimizing air pollution, increasing time with the family, and reducing travel costs in the family budget. However, it has led to uncertainties regarding its positive effects, since it has also led to increased work intensity, social isolation, and psychological distress on workers, leading to questions about the future of hybrid work models that may have emerged. This article has as its main objective to identify the impact of COVID-19 on the use of telework and discuss its effects on families. The work was performed in the North Lisbon Metropolitan Area in the middle of the pandemic context. In methodological terms, we identified the sectors in which teleworking is more prevalent, so that in a second stage, we carried out a survey to assess the daily practices and mobility patterns of the families. The results suggest that the option to adopt the remote working regime is not unanimous among the respondents, having been identified contradictory effects for families. In turn, although telework has made the separation between personal and professional life more difficult, has allowed the saving of time and expenses used in commuting, as pointed out by the respondents. We concluded that the challenges of telework or hybrid models might be related to: time management and work-family balance; the perception of employee/employer productivity; the notion of the individual’s right to 'disconnect'; and improvement in mental and environmental health.