Most companies plan to have some teleworkers in five years’ time, according to the National Telecommunications Survey, sponsored by Reed Elsevier Plc’s Reed Exhibitions Ltd and backed by the Research Centre at Henley Management College. But the results also highlighted cultural barriers which could hinder the take-up of teleworking. According to the survey, 36% of the 600 companies responding currently have some teleworkers, and 62% expect to have some in two years’ time. This figure rises to 70% when respondents were asked about their plans for five years’ time. But many of the organisations that said they planned to increase their use of teleworking said they planned to do it in a marginal way, citing lack of demand and internal cultural barriers as the main limiting factors managers feel they need to see to manage.
