Is telecommuting or smart working better?

Often confused, telecommuting and smart working are actually quite different. Indeed, these are working arrangements that, although they share many common features, differ in the context in which they are applied and the contractual regulations governing them.

What is meant by telecommuting

In teleworking, which can be adopted by both public administration and private enterprises, the worker performs his or her work off-site with the help of predefined technological supports.

In subordinate teleworking, the worker must comply with the employer’s stipulations, while in para-subordinate teleworking, he or she can organize autonomously while having to coordinate with the commissioning company.

If, on the other hand, the worker is self-employed, he may work for several principals with his own means and an organization defined by him.

At the contractual level, teleworking must meet precise characteristics. First, it must be voluntary: if the employee refuses to work remotely, he or she cannot be fired or sanctioned.

Second, telecommuters should have the same rights as workers working at the company’s premises. Their pay must also match the pay of those who-in the company-perform the same job with the same classification.

As a rule, teleworking is carried out at a fixed location other than the company headquarters, which is expressly stated on the contract.

What is meant by smart working

Smart working (or agile working), introduced in 2017, involves performing work partly at the company’s premises partly outside, without the need to designate a fixed location. Therefore, it is not a contract, but a mode of work.

Regulating it is Article 18 of Law no. 81/2017. The main difference between telecommuting and smart working is the workplace: while in telecommuting it must be fixed and defined, in smart working there is more freedom.

In fact, the worker can decide to work from home as well as from the library, a café, or wherever he or she sees fit. It also generally has more autonomy to choose what time to start and what time to turn off the computer.

An additional difference is flexibility: telecommuting is completely performed at a location other than the corporate office, while smart working can alternate between remote and onsite work.

If Smart Working is established by written agreement, to “terminate” the agreement the employer and employee are entitled to a minimum of 30 days’ notice.

Smart working and telecommuting: the advantages and disadvantages

Like all modes of work, smart working and telecommuting have their pros and cons.

First, they are economically sustainable modes. The worker saves on the costs of gasoline, public transportation, meals, and parking, while the company saves on the costs arising from the worker’s presence in the office (electricity, telephone, paper, etc.).

In addition, the worker has the opportunity to balance work and private life more, consequently increasing his or her satisfaction and productivity.

However, in order to adopt telecommuting and smart working effectively, it is necessary for the company to create a good work culture: workers who are not present on the premises must feel equally involved and considered, to prevent them from becoming isolated and their performance from dropping.

In addition, there must be effective internal communication to avoid misunderstandings and missed deadlines. Confusing and erratic communication can cause stress and demotivation, both in remote and onsite workers.

If you have the opportunity to work in smart working, or have been offered telecommuting, but don’t know if such working arrangements are right for you, Phyd ‘s experts can help: ask our coaches for a consultation!