NSW Road Traffic Authority

The NSW Road Traffic Authority (RTA) trialled a telework pilot program for a period of six months in 1993-94, to assess the impact of telework primarily on travel behaviour, productivity and worker satisfaction. Participants teleworked an average of one to two days per week, which allowed for flexibility in the number of days and hours teleworked per week according to work flow and individual circumstances.

To support the telework arrangements, a policy was established and telework agreements drafted to cover conditions of employment, hours of duty, work allocation, occupational health and safety, security of assets, access to the teleworker, home office inspections, the RTAs liability and teleworker’s responsibilities. The RTA provided the furniture and equipment needed by staff including desks, chairs, PCs, printers, phone/fax machines and modems. Inspections of home offices were also carried out to ensure a safe working environment.

There were a number of positive impacts observed at the end of the telework pilot. With respect to travel, teleworking significantly reduced travel by teleworkers without a significant increase in overall travel by other household members. It also led to reduced stress levels and costs of travel. Teleworking also impacted on self-reported productivity. When teleworkers compared work items or projects of a similar size and complexity, they reported that work items or projects performed under teleworking conditions cost less (30 per cent); were of better quality (35 per cent); and took less time to complete (69 per cent).

The impact on worker satisfaction was overwhelmingly positive as a result of teleworking. The RTA reported that employees were satisfied with increased productivity and quality of work, decreased travel and number of trips, control of working hours and motivation to continue to telework. Teleworking also provided an opportunity to plan work around family and other activities and enabled teleworkers t experience a less stressed and healthier life style.

The RTA established regional telecentres during 1998 and 1999 to combat the fears around invisibility of the home-based workers in West Gosford and Penrith, with a few hot desks in Parramatta. NSW RTA telecentres are on RTA property, cutting down on site establishment costs, which was identified by project managers as a key potential impediment to a cost-effective telework program. Following an evaluation of the West Gosford telecentre trial, the RTA found that a telecentre can provide a cost-effective alternative office facility with positive impacts on reducing travel demand, increasing productivity and business efficiency and improving the environment.

The RTA stated that teleworking is particularly suited to information workers and staff who do not have direct face-to-face contact with customers. Teleworking arrangements are available for RTA staff to work from an alternative office location either occasionally or on a regular basis or under special circumstances provided the following conditions are met: work can be completed efficiently and productively; and customer service delivery is maintained.