Last update 1997 . 1 .29

A Report on the Survey of Telework Population in Japan ( a summary - 1996 edition )

1. History of the survey Recently the number of workers called teleworkers or telecommuters has been increasing. These employees, using the latest information and communication systems, are based at their homes or nearby satellite offices. Telework means minimizing or eliminating employees' commuting time and maximizing their free time. It improves intellectual productivity while at the same time significantly reducing office costs. Moreover it contributes to solving some of the major urban problems of modern society overcrowding, pollution, stress etc. The Satellite Office Association of Japan(President: Kiichi Watanabe) set up "a telework population survey committee" (chairman: Takashi Ohnishi,Dr.Eng . Professor of City & Regional Planning Department of Urban Engineering, University of Tokyo) in 1995. The committee carried out the first national survey of telework conditions in Japan. This survey allowed the committee to estimate the teleworking population in 1995 and make projections about its number for the year 2000. They also published "A report on the survey of telework population in Japan." This report summarizes the findings of the survey carried out in 1996. It attempts to present the status of teleworking and estimate users both now and at the beginning of the next century. (NOTE) In this survey, we define "teleworkers" as follows: in spite of their company having a head office, work at home or satellite offices regularly or irregularly.

2. Points to be noted from the outcome of this survey In 1996, the number of white color regular employees who practice telework once a week and over is estimated at 680 thousand (a little more than 4% of white collar regular employees in Japan). In 2001, the number is expected to rise to 2,480 thousand. The two most significant effects brought about by telework as identified by its users were 1.improvement of productivity (56.1%) and 2.relief from fatigue and stress brought about by rush hour commuting (49.1%) When the employees telework, their main works are writing documents and summing up data. Teleworkers use electronic mail for communication and sending reports. The use of electronic mail has risen 2.4 times since publication of the last survey. Managers differ dramatically in their attitude towards this medium using electronic mail as little as half as much of that of the general workers. 63.2% of employees not currently teleworking intend to do so in the future. In particular more than 90% of technical employees expressed a wish to telework. Younger staff members were the most vocal in their support and interest. Companies are reluctant to adopt telework. The reasons given vary from "the companies nature is not suitable for telework", "its a difficult system to manage" and lastly "its not a system easy to evaluate". Telework seems to highlight considerable differences in attitudes between management and staff.

3. The method of survey and its objects (1) The method of survey Questionnaires were sent to ask about present status of telework. (2) Companies and employees surveyed 4,232 companies were targeted all of which have their main offices in one or more of six major cities in Japan (Sapporo, Sendai, Ward (Ku) area of Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka) and 13,576 white color regular employees who work for the above companies were asked to fill in the questionnaires. (3) Number of returns of questionnaires 463 companies and 1,134 employees.

4. The findings of the survey 4.1 The findings from the responses (1) Present situation of telework - 1 　　(responses from employees and managers) a. Ratio of employees who practice telework to all employees The ration of employees who work at home and the ratio of employees who work at satellite offices are 2.3% (26 persons / 1,134 persons) and 3.1% (35 persons / 1,134 persons) respectively. 38.5 % of the employees who said they practiced telework systematically approved of by their companies (including any telework done experimentally) did so from their homes while 80.0 % were based at satellite office. The remainder teleworked with their senior's approval or independently. b. Regularity of teleworking Homeworkers generally teleworked once to three times a month (30.8%). Staff at satellite offices teleworked much more frequently often once a week and over (91.4%). c. Forms of telework In both cases either working from home or satellite offices the type of work that predominates is written documents requiring the use of a word processor or similar hardware (45.6%). Other forms include project documents (0.4%) various kinds of surveys (31.6%) and data input (26.3%). d. Communication media used by teleworkers The telephone is the most commonly used means to contact and report to head offices (78.1%). Electronic mail use (31.3%) rose by 2.4 times its previous figure. Among employees electronic mail is used regularly but amongst upper management however electronic mail usage is half that of their staff. e. Effects of teleworking Two distinct gains were listed by teleworkers. Firstly improvement of productivity (56.1%) and secondly relief from stress and tiredness wrought by long and arduous commuting (49.1%). Other benefits stated were greater contact with family (14%) and more time to be involved with the local community (8.8%) . f. Employees reasons for not taking telework were as follows; No system currently existed in their company(81.2%) Their job is not suitable for teleworking(39.2%) Their superior's unwillingness(5.2%) Uncertainty and unease at evaluating telework's value(6.2%) g. Employee's teleworking intentions 63.2% of the employees who are not presently teleworking intend to do so in the future. Generally managers are far less keen. Over 70% of employees stated their intention to telework most notably technical staff (90%). Age seems to also play a part in individual's attitudes to telework. 75.5% of respondents in their 30's stated their wish to work this way while the same option scored only 36.7% with staff in their fifties. Home based teleworking was the most favored style (63.1%) while from a satellite office rated a 45.3 % and straight go / straight come attracted only 17.2%.

(2) Present situation of telework - 2 　　(responses from companies) a. Reasons for having telework system in their companies 21 companies responded they already have a telework system in operation. The primary reason given was reduction in office costs (38.1%) Increased intellectual productivity and better physical and mental working conditions were other benefits (both 38.1%) Some however stated a greater sense of self direction and independence as the main motive for setting up a telework system. (23.8%). b. Reasons for not incorporating telework systems The most commonly voiced explanation for not adopting telework was the respondent's belief that their work was not suitable to be teleworked (63.3%) Others were not attracted because they feared management difficulties (42.7%). The final group had difficulties in evaluating telework systems(19.9%). Employees state they are not teleworking because their company have no such systems available.(81.2%) c. Companies' intention of introducing telework systems Companies seem to be unwilling to adopt teleworking. Less than 1% of companies surveyed had a concrete plan of installing telework. Even amongst those companies that claimed they were considering telework only 8.8% plan to adopt home based systems and 5.8% networks involving satellite offices. Note if you add those companies which already have telework systems installed the figures actually read as 11.8% for home based and 8% for satellite based systems.

4.2 Estimates for present and future teleworking populations (1) Estimate of telework population in 1996 With the results of the survey we estimated "the population of white collar regular employees who are teleworking at least in one way between working at home or satellite offices" The estimate was reached via the following formulae. Telework population = (Estimated population of white color regular employees) *(Telework rate calculated from the findings of the survey) Telework rate calculated from the findings of the survey= (Number of those who responded that they practiced telework) / (Number of respondents) The telework population estimated as above are: Periodical type of telework population (those who telework once a week and over) -------------------------- 680 thousand persons Whole telework population (including those who telework less than once a week) -------------------------- 809 thousand persons (2) Telework population in 2001(projection) We projected periodic and whole teleworking populations for 2001 on the basis of the present situation and future plans for teleworking amongst companies. Assuming that all companies which are currently considering adopting teleworking will do so by the year 2001 the figures are as follows. Periodical type of telework population ----- 2,481 thousand persons Whole telework population --------------- 2,950 thousand persons The Satellite Office Association of Japan plans to make regular surveys of telework populations and so provide basic statistical data about its growth and help make this important new workstyle more widely known and accessible.

E-mail : assn@japan-telework.or.jp