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Telework in the spread of COVID-19

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  • Toshihiro Okubo

    (Faculty of Economics Keio University)

Abstract

In the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), people have been requested to work from home with information and communication technology (ICT) tools, i.e. telework. This paper investigates which factors (infection of COVID-19, individual characteristics, task characteristics, working environments, and COVID-19 countermeasure policies) are associated with telework use in Japan. Using the unique panel survey on telework, we construct occupational indices for teleworkability and the risk exposure to infection. Our estimation finds that although telework use remains low in Japan, educated, high ICTskilled, younger, and female workers who engage in less teamwork and less routine tasks tend to use telework. Working environments such as the richness of IT communication tools, digitalized offices, flexible-hour working systems, and companywide reform for teleworking can all promote telework use.

Suggested Citation

  • Toshihiro Okubo, 2021. "Telework in the spread of COVID-19," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2021-015, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    • Handle: RePEc:keo:dpaper:2021-015
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    Cited by:

    1. Tanaka, Kiyoyasu, 2023. "What hinders digital communication? Evidence from foreign firms in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    2. Roberto Carlos Dávila Morán & Eucaris del Carmen Agüero Corzo & Juan Manuel Sánchez Soto & Henri Emmanuel López Gómez, 2022. "Impact of Teleworking on the Health and Well-Being of Peruvian Workers in Times of Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Oliver Kovacs, 2022. "Inclusive Industry 4.0 in Europe—Japanese Lessons on Socially Responsible Industry 4.0," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-26, January.
    4. Okubo, Toshihiro, 2022. "Traveling and eating out during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Go To campaign policies in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    5. Toshihiro Okubo, 2021. "Non-routine Tasks and ICT tools in Telework," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2021-017, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    6. Takuya Ishino & Yoichi Mizumura & Kazuto Sumita & Takuya Yoshida & Norifumi Yukutake, 2022. "Impact of Teleworking on Childcare Time During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Owner-Occupied Housing," International Real Estate Review, Global Social Science Institute, vol. 25(4), pages 423-460.
    7. Claudiu George Bocean & Luminita Popescu & Anca Antoaneta Varzaru & Costin Daniel Avram & Anica Iancu, 2023. "Work-Life Balance and Employee Satisfaction during COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-15, July.
    8. Carlos A. Arbelaez-Velasquez & Diana Giraldo & Santiago Quintero, 2022. "Analysis of a Teleworking Technology Adoption Case: An Agent-Based Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-14, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    telework; Covid-19; teleworkability; tasks; working environments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

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