What teleworking means: definition, how it works and examples

Teleworking is a work model that has been adopted by companies for several years. However, the health emergency caused by Covid-19 made it gain momentum very quickly. 

During the time of confinement, telecommuting was the obvious alternative for companies, and although some returned to on-site work once the crisis was over, many others continued to implement remote work, or a hybrid work modality. hybrid work.

All of this gave rise to the need to pass the Telecommuting Law in Spain, also known as the Telework Law, with the aim of regulating aspects of this model.

In this article we tell you some important points about this law, the rights that a teleworker has, as well as advantages, tips and tools for those who work remotely.

What does the Telecommuting Law consist of?

The objective of this law is to provide the necessary regulation for companies to implement the telecommuting modality, and that both companies and teleworkers benefit from it. 

It defines telecommuting as the form of work organization or performance of the work activity in accordance with which it is performed at the worker's home or at a place chosen by the worker, during all or part of the working day, on a regular basis.

On the other hand, it defines telework as remote work carried out through the exclusive or prevalent use of computer, telematic and telecommunication means and systems.

Is telecommuting mandatory?

Implementing telecommuting is voluntary, both for the company and the employees.. That is why, if it is decided to implement it, it is necessary to sign an agreement between both parties. an agreement between both parties that stipulates it.

This agreement must be in writing, and may form part of the initial employment contract or be incorporated into it at a later date.

Its content will have to establish information corresponding to the means and tools that the worker needs. As well as the expenses that he/she may have in order to perform his/her work remotely.

In addition, you must specify general data such as the work schedule, the percentage and distribution between face-to-face and remote work (if applicable), and the duration of the agreement, among others.

Teleworker's rights

Teleworkers are entitled to the same rights are entitled to the same rights as those of the employees who work on-siteexcept for those particularities of face-to-face work.

On the other hand, the Telecommuting Law establishes these specific rights for teleworkers:

1. Right to training. Companies must guarantee access to the necessary training actions, on an equal basis with respect to on-site workers.
2. Right to career advancement. They will be informed in writing of any promotion opportunities that may exist.
3. Right to receive sufficient means. They shall be provided with all the means, equipment and tools necessary for the development of their work activity, as stipulated in the agreement.
4. Right to compensation of expenses. The company shall compensate the expenses related to the means linked to their work.
5. Right to a flexible schedule. If the agreement so provides, the teleworker may modify his working hours, respecting the time of work and rest.
6. Right to adequate time registration. The recording system used must accurately reflect the working time and include the start and end time of the working day, among other data.
7. Right to occupational risk prevention. The company must carry out a risk assessment and planning of the preventive activity of remote work.
8. Right to privacy and data protection. The company will not be able to demand the installation of programs or applications in devices that are property of the teleworker, neither the use of these for the development of the remote work. The use of telematic means and digital devices will have to guarantee the respect to this right.
9. Right to digital disconnection. They will have the right to disconnection outside their working hours.
10. Collective rights. They may exercise their rights of a collective nature with the same scope as those of employees working in person.

What are the advantages of teleworking?

As we mentioned before, after the health crisis many companies have continued to use telework as a work modality. This is because it offers many benefits, both for the workers and for the companies themselves.

For workers

1. Greater flexibility and autonomy. Telecommuting allows employees to manage their time to carry out their activities and achieve their work objectives.
2. Saving time and money. By not having to travel to a specific workplace, the worker can save time and transportation costs.
3. Reduced stress. The possibility of choosing a work environment that suits their personal needs and tastes provides the employee with greater emotional well-being.
4. Increased productivity. Flexibility in working conditions and the possibility of managing one's own time generate positive results in worker productivity and in the use of the working day.
5. Work-life balance. This work model allows employees to balance their personal and family activities with their professional obligations, which benefits their quality of life.

For companies

1. Cost reduction. By implementing a remote work modality, the company is able to reduce infrastructure and facilities costs, as well as the fixed costs generated by face-to-face work.
2. Access to better candidates. The possibility of recruiting professionals without geographical limitations allows the company to have access to candidates of higher level and specialization.
3. Reduced absenteeism. The flexibility provided by teleworking helps to greatly reduce the problem of absenteeism faced by companies.
4. Greater fulfillment of objectives. With telecommuting, companies prioritize work by objectives over the fulfillment of certain hours, which favors employee motivation and productivity.
5. Promotes innovation. This modality of work involves the use of digital tools and platforms that promote learning and constant innovation, both for the company and for the workers.

What are the best tools for teleworking?

Today there are many tools that help companies and workers to facilitate management and communication processes to optimize remote work.

Cloud space

Having space in the cloud has two major benefits: on the one hand, it provides a storage place for all the company's documents and materials and prevents them from getting lost. 

On the other hand, it allows collaborative work, which is extremely useful for work teams, even in a face-to-face mode. 

Platforms such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, Onedrive, iCloud or Amazon Cloud Drive are options for companies looking to try a cloud service. These offer free storage so that users can try it out, and then have the option of signing up for a professional plan with greater capacity.

CRM

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a great help for companies to have their sales processes under control.

Most CRMs offer a free trial period, and different plans from which companies can choose the one that best suits their needs based on the number of users, tools and storage space they require. 

Some of the CRMs from which companies can choose Spanish-language CRMs include: HubSpot, Pipedrive, Teamleader, Britix24 and Zoho CRM.among others.

Team management tools

Some of the most used platforms by companies to optimize team and project management are Trello and Asana.

Trello is an intuitive dashboard platform that allows you to organize and manage the different projects and tasks in a company, as well as share and follow up on them as a team. Asana also works with boards and cards, and also allows to evaluate the effectiveness of the team's progress and incorporates an internal communication tool.

Both have multiple tools that allow the user to customize their dashboard functions according to their team's needs.

Platforms for videoconferencing

With the implementation of teleworking, videoconferencing has become a powerful communication tool, both for one-on-one conversations and for meetings with a large number of people. 

That is why the need to have one (or several) tools for videoconferencing within an organization has become indispensable.

Nowadays, the offer of platforms for this type of communication is quite wide, and many of them are even part of broader services for remote work. Some of the most widely used by companies in different parts of the world are. Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Go To Meeting, among others.and Go To Meeting, among others.

Internal communication tools

Having internal communication channels that facilitate remote dialogue between workers and teams has also become a great need for companies.

One of the things that companies usually look for in these tools is that they can be used exclusively for work. In other words, they should not be the same ones that workers use regularly for their personal communications. 

In addition, tools that are more specialized in work-related communication usually offer multiple functions that optimize remote interactions within an organization.

Some communication applications that can be used in teleworking are. Slack, Microsoft Teams, Rocket Chat, and Spikeamong others.

Tools to improve productivity

Platforms that help share information, share tasks, set and measure objectives, and generally promote productivity are extremely useful for organizations that implement remote work. 

Some of the tools that have features that can help companies with this include. Notion, Koan, Factorial and Leapsomeand Leapsome, among others.

Teleworking and coworking

It is true that telecommuting allows workers to carry out their activities from practically anywhere, as long as it is a space that favors the fulfillment of their tasks and objectives. 

However, not every site meets this requirement. Teleworkers who choose to work from home or from a coffee shop may face connection problems, noise, and situations that constantly break concentration during the workday. 

On the other hand, there are coworking spaces that have areas and services that greatly favor teleworking.

Discover what coworking is and the types of coworking that exist.

Why telework in a coworking?

We highlight the main advantages advantages of working in a coworking and that can be of great interest for a teleworker:

• They provide their users with different areas to carry out their daily activities, from meeting rooms where they can meet with clients if they need to, to rest areas and relaxation areas and amenities and amenities that favor creativity and employee wellbeing.
• They have all services includedfrom high speed internet and electricity to free coffee and tea. In addition, their spaces are already fully equipped so that the worker can so that workers can simply bring their laptops to work.
• They provide the opportunity to establish connections with other professionals and become part of a community. This on the one hand helps generate business opportunities for workers, and on the other hand reduces the feeling of loneliness that can exist when working from home.
• They offer different types of plans y plans and spaces flexible plans and spaces that adapt to the needs of each worker.