Remote work, telework, work at home home-based work. Definitions and measurement

Abstract

Remote work, telework, work at home, home-based work: there is a lack of international statistical standards for these concepts and guidance for measurement. Different terms are used, sometimes interchangeably, making it difficult to know what is measured and to access international harmonized data. These concepts are not new phenomena, indeed, but the relevance of their measurement has increased, not least due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on a ILO study, this presentation provides guidance on how the four different concepts of remote work, telework, work at home and home-based work should be statistically understood, how they relate to each other, and how they can be measured through a household survey.