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This project aims to support national, regional and local governments of the OECD in promoting a smooth transition to the likely large-scale and enduring use of teleworking conducive to sustainable social and economic local development. This project takes a neutral stance and aims to inform policy solutions for countries and regions seeking to capitalise on teleworking potential.

Download the full project description

What's the issue?

The pandemic has triggered a mass teleworking experiment, unprecedented in size and scope. The shift towards a large-scale, enduring teleworking model could have strong and long-term implications for the geography of local employment. Different degrees of preparedness to teleworking could widen divides between firm and worker types, as well as between regions.

At the same time, teleworking comes with opportunities, such as reduced congestion in cities and job creation in firms and regions offering attractive teleworking arrangements. Public policies have the potential to minimise disparities, and promote a sustainable transition. 

What can the OECD offer?

National and regional governments can join this project to obtain strategic insights on the actual and potential spread of teleworking across their own country or region. They will gain a deeper understanding of the multiple factors that enable and constrain teleworking across local industries, firms and workers.

Evidence-based recommendations will guide their efforts to ensure that the transition to large-scale teleworking contributes to broader local development goals. Finally, they will benefit from exchanging knowledge and practices with other OECD countries and regions.

Background reading

Exploring policy options on teleworking
Steering local economic and employment development in the time of remote work 
^{November 2020}

Available also in Italian

‌Assessing teleworking strategies for local development: a framework proposal
^{October 2022}

Participating regions

Trentino, Italy (analysis finalised)

‌The future of remote work. Opportunities and policy options for Trentino
^{November 2021}

In Italy, the Autonomous Province of Trento has plans to design a comprehensive plan for teleworking as a way to foster local economic and social development. This paper identifies six policy areas for recommendations, reflecting the conditions needed to achieve these objectives. 

Available also in Italian

Ems-Achse, Germany (analysis ongoing)

The Wachstumsregion Ems-Achse e.V., which brings together several public and private entities in Lower Saxony Germany, is eager to explore the potential of teleworking as a tool for local development.

The goal is to investigate the potential of teleworking as a local development tool in a scarcely populated region that struggles to retain talent and shows room for improvement in business digitalisation.

Joining this project, the Wachstumsregion Ems-Achse e.V. will obtain:

• Strategic insights on the actual and potential spread of teleworking in the region;
• A deeper understanding of the factors that enable and constrain teleworking across local industries, firms and workers;
• Exchange practices with other teleworking-friendly regions from across the OECD;
• Evidence-based recommendations to ensure that the new reality of large-scale teleworking contributes to broader development goals.

Contact

To join the project, please contact Mattia.Corbetta@oecd.org and Wessel.Vermeulen@oecd.org.