Work Flexibility, Telepresence in the Office for Remote Workers: A Case Study from Austria

Abstract

There is an increasing need for technology to support remote workers in professional and personal activities, so as to reduce the consumption of fuel, reduce traffic and environmental issues, and enable the workers to stay in contact with their colleagues. Telepresence robotics helps the remote worker by providing a virtual presence, or telepresence, in the office. This tool is a robot controlled by computer, tablet or smartphone and includes a video camera, screen, speakers and microphones for mutual interaction, thereby allowing remote workers and their colleagues to see, hear and speak to each other. In this paper, we describe this technology. The home office is still taboo for many employers. Our experiment has found a solution, because the employee can have a presence in the office and always have audio and video contact. Telepresence robots were introduced a number of years ago, and these robots now allow any employee to be present in the office from anywhere in the world and at any time. This study is a small-scale exploratory case study that examines the use of a robot to interact with colleagues in a traditional office. One of the natural consequences of this kind of workplace flexibility is that less office space is required. We conducted the experiment with a Double 2 Robot over a period of three working days. Based on the data collected from this study, we present a set of guidelines for the use of this technology, and we try to find a solution that will allow the employee to have a presence in the office and enjoy the benefits of this even if he/she is not physically present.