Authors: Mary Stathopoulou, Ioannis Antoniadis, Aikaterini Lantza

Title: Distant working in Greece: A short literature review of the Greek reality and practice

Abstract

[EXTENDED ABSTRACT]

Evidence from the literature shows that distant working affects the spatial and temporal context of work. The way we work is reorganized, affecting the work relationship, as well as the way control is exercised.

The above are also true for Greece and especially the public sector. The scale and depth of the structural changes that have taken place in the last three years with the compelling digitization of the public sector are enormous. Distant workinging is already a new alternative employment worldwide, and the Greek state has managed to maintain its smooth operation during the pandemic, thanks to the successful implementation by civil servants. The adoption of Law 4807/2021 regulated the framework for the organization and effective implementation of distant working in the public sector through the use of information and communication technologies and defines issues like the concept of distant working. This regulatory framework also established the basic principles that governs remote working such as voluntariness, principle of equal treatment of distant workinging and non-working employees, protection of personal data, respect for privacy, the deadlines and location of its provision, and other procedural issues for its implementation.

Faced with the energy crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine and threats by the Russian president that Moscow might close its gas taps, the European Union is looking for solutions. According to a report in the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the Commission is preparing an emergency plan of measures to be taken in the near future. Among the measures being considered is distant working up to three times a week, which could save up to 500,000 barrels of oil. One day of telecommuting is equivalent to saving 170,000 barrels of oil per day.

Notwithstanding the importance of the legal framework, there a number of managerial and organizational issues that cannot be covered by the provisions of a law. Unfortunately, due to the short period of time since the outbreak of COVID -19, scientific research in Greece is limited and mainly focused on how workers experience distant workings, what positive or negative impact it has on their professional and personal life and job satisfaction. There is a lack of data focusing on the relationship of employee productivity and efficiency that should be examined.

The present paper helps to highlight this gap while examining the areas that distant working impacts, by reviewing the relevant research in Greece. To achieve that we are reviewing more than 40 publications and published research, dealing with topics related to distant working in Greece. The results of these papers are thoroughly reviewed and systematically examined to identify possible bibliographic gaps in the domestic bibliography.

The results of this review show that there is a great lack of tools to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of remote workers and that there is a need for more in-depth and informed research in the Greek reality. Our findings also highlight the need to redefine the ways control is asserted ton remote work, and to reformulate management practices and roles. While telecommuting is a major change, it is also part of other changes that contribute to a broader transformation that drastically changes the work process, structures, and system of shared values.

In addition, this review contributes to the systematic recording of the relevant literature in Greece and aids in developing tools to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of workers who distant working to improve both employer and worker satisfaction.