IDC
Forecasts Teleworking Rocketing as European Companies Embrace
Remote Working
AMSTERDAM, October 25, 2001
According to IDC, the number of teleworkers in Europe is expected
to grow explosively from 10 million in 2000 to more than 28.8
million in 2005. Today, most Western European countries have
accepted this new method of working because it enhances business
competitiveness, productivity and working conditions.
Over 45% of the mobile workers and telecommuters (teleworkers) are
employed by large and very large companies, mostly in the business
services, finance and health sectors. IDC defines a mobile worker
as an individual who spends at least 20% of his working hours away
from home, main place of work, or both. Telecommuters, on the
other hand, are employees who are working from home at least one
day a week (assuming a five-day work week). IDC expects the number
of mobile workers to grow from 6.2 million in 2000 to more than
20.1 million in 2005. The number of telecommuters will increase
from 3.8 million in 2000 to 8.7 million in 2005.
According to IDC, the number of teleworkers in Western Europe
varies widely among countries, vertical markets and company size.
"This is the result of different regulatory frameworks, laws,
collective agreements, individual agreements, corporate and
national culture, and company values," said Romolo Pusceddu,
senior analyst for IDC's European Data Communications program.
"The concept of teleworking has not been incorporated into
legislation, nor is there a standard transnational definition of
it. However, the majority of the Western European countries do
recognize mobile and remote working method as a necessary
development that balances the work of an employee with his private
life."
Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Finland have the
highest number of telecommuters and mobile workers as a percentage
of total white collar workers . Low cost technologies, legislative
frameworks and corporate culture are some of the main drivers
within these countries. By contrast, the Southern European
countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece have a very
low number of telecommuters and mobile workers when compared to
their total white collar work force. In these countries,
bureaucratic, complicated and centralized institutional structures
are the inhibitors for the development of freer forms of telework.
In this new study, Western European Teleworking: Mobile Workers
and Telecommuters, 2000-2005 (IDC #25698), IDC analyses the total
mobile workers and telecommuters market and makes forecasts by
vertical industry, company size and country for the period
2000-2005. IDC also provides market sizing and forecasts for the
15 countries of the European Union. This study is available for
purchase from your local IDC office or via
http://www.emea.idc.com.
