António Moniz

European Commission (Brussels, Brussels, BE)

The unprecedented extension of telework as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak has raised questions about the impact of this form of work organisation in the long term, since there are many reasons to believe that it will accelerate pre-existing trends towards the digitalisation of work and increasing flexibility of work arrangements. TWING aims to explore the impact of COVID-19 crisis on telework, working conditions and industrial relations with the overarching objective of supporting social partners in the promotion of decent and productive telework in the post-COVID-19 scenario. For this purpose, the analysis will focus on four sectors which face different constrains in relation to telework (ICT, banking, chemical industry and public administration) and six countries that differ on the prevalence and ways of regulating telework, and are representative of different industrial relations regimes (Austria, Estonia, Finland, Spain, Poland and Portugal).TWING will use different research methodologies: statistical analysis, desk research, semistructured interviews, mini-case studies of good practices at company level and action research on transferability of good practices to other companies, sectors and countries. It will also disseminate research outcomes through newsletter, social media and open science journals. TWING consortium involves six research centres and five associated partners representing social partners or related institutions. Main innovative aspects of TWIN are the combination of national and sectoral analysis of social dialogue and collective bargaining; the focus on good practices at company level and the adoption of an action research approach to involve social partners in the reflection of research findings, mutual learning of good practices and evidence-based elaboration of policy recommendations. TWING project as a whole expresses a wide European coverage suitable to achieve its research and practical objectives from a European dimension.