Recent economic trends have resulted in working hours that are increasingly diverse, decentralized and individualized, leading to greater tensions between workers' needs and preferences and enterprises' business requirements.There are increasing concerns regarding time-related social inequalities, particularly in relation to gender, workers' ability to balance their paid work with their personal lives and family responsibilities, and the relationship between working hours, rest periods, and social times.

The COVID-19 pandemic strengthened time-related inequalities and has fast tracked the adoption of teleworking modalities by employers. Indeed, telework offers the opportunity for a more flexible schedule for workers.However, there may also be risks, such as isolation, and the loss of contact with fellow employees, which it is essential to anticipate and prevent.

In order to improve working conditions around the globe, telework and working time issues need to be tackled on multiple levels, closing the "gaps" between workers' actual and preferred hours of work, and enhancing the sustainability of enterprises. Telework and Working Time Arrangements (WTAs) that balance workers' needs with business' requirements do not happen by chance. Indeed, a conscious and collaborative effort to develop and implement such arrangements is needed.

What is this course about?

This course will provide learners with practical information and guidance to develop "balanced" telework and Working Time Arrangements (WTAs), offering a flexible framework through which both private enterprises and public sector organizations can develop or update their own policies and practices. Accordingly, participants will have the chance to discover:

• What are the principles and International Labour Standards guiding telework and WTAs;
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of telework and WTAs;
• How to structure telework and design and implement WTAs collaboratively.