1373.1 - Teleworking, New South Wales, Oct 2001  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/04/2002   
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MEDIA RELEASE

April 11, 2002
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
34/2002

Almost 10% of NSW workforce 'Teleworks': ABS

Nearly one-quarter of a million (or 8%) of NSW workers 'teleworked' in the three months to October 2001, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. A further 355,200 (12%) worked at home after normal business hours.

Teleworkers are people 15 years and over who were employed by a business that was not based at their own home but worked at home during normal business hours for a full or part day.

A person who worked at home after hours only, is someone who worked at home on weekends or took work home after normal business hours.

Most teleworkers were aged 35-44 years, while those aged 45-54 years accounted for the largest proportion of employed people who spent all day in the office then only worked at home after normal business hours.

Almost three-quarters (74%) of teleworking employees worked in the private sector. However, a greater proportion of public sector employees teleworked. Of those who worked for the government or public service 10% teleworked, while 7% of private sector employees teleworked.

The main reasons for teleworking were 'work commitments/job requires it' (33%), 'less distractions' (15%), 'childcare/family considerations' (13%) and 'greater productivity' (12%). 'Childcare and family considerations' were the main reason for one-fifth of women, compared to less than one-tenth of men (21% compared to 7%).

Teleworking employees used a variety of technological facilities that were supplied by either their employer or themselves while working at home. These included the telephone (72% of all teleworkers), mobile phone (68%), Internet (67%) and email (65%). However, over one-third of teleworking employees were not supplied with any equipment by their employer while they were working at home.

Over half a million people (566,700) employed in NSW who, do not do any work at home for their job or business, reported that they would like to telework. Reasons given for not teleworking were 'type of work not suitable' (75%) and 'employers not allowing it' (13%).

Details are in Teleworking, New South Wales, 2001 (cat. no. 1373.1).