With the spread of infections with the new coronavirus, teleworking at home using information and communication technology is gaining momentum.
When he declared a state of emergency, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on companies to reduce the number of workers commuting to the office by at least 70% to ensure that they refrain from going out. Telework is an effective means of reducing person-to-person contact, which carries the risk of spreading the virus.
In response to the declaration of the state of emergency, Hitachi Ltd. began conducting telework, in principle, for its offices in the seven prefectures subject to the declaration.
The Tokyo metropolitan government has received far more applications than expected for a program to subsidize small and midsize companies for up to 2.5 million yen to introduce telework.
This indicates that corporate interest is growing.
What should be paid attention to is security measures for teleworking.
A basic step is to use a PC that has been set up with security measures by the company. However, depending on the communication environment at home, there is a possibility of being targeted by computer viruses. It is essential to follow the instructions of the company.
In some cases, private PCs must be used as companies are not yet able to provide PCs. Basic measures must be thoroughly implemented: In addition to distinguishing between public and private usage, antivirus software must be kept up to date.
When the volume of communication increases due to more people working from home, lines become congested. They have yet to reach full capacity, for the moment. Telecommunications companies are required to take measures to prevent delays in communication, assuming that the volume will increase further.
In addition to making these improvements, it is also necessary to review in-house business practices.
For example, if there is a custom of using seals for approvals, there might be cases where employees come to work only for that purpose even if they are teleworking. It is important to review the necessity of tasks and eliminate waste.
Companies also need to keep track of their teleworking employees' hours. One way is for employees to report their planned schedule when they start work, as well as reporting their breaks and when they finish for the day.
Without an appropriate time management system, employees may lose focus and work efficiency may deteriorate.
It should also be considered how to reflect telework in personnel evaluations. A fair evaluation system would boost employee morale.
The fight against infectious diseases remains uncertain. It is important for companies and employees to change their attitudes toward working styles, while making efforts to protect their lives and not let economic activities stagnate.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on April 10, 2020.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
