Telework in Guatemala
Published: September, 2020
Although in Guatemala there is no legal frame for “Telework”, it could be said that it is a way in which services are provided in a location other than the employer's office or headquarters. What makes this modality so attractive? What is the key to make it work? The key is in TECHNOLOGY, in the innovative and efficient use of tools that allow us to be connected without being anchored to a specific place. This type of work does not require the physical presence of the workers, which is a motivational element for new generations since it allows them to make efficient use of time and for those of us who are Y, Z, millennials or zentenials, telework has helped us break traditional barriers related to count with a specific space to work. Moreover, we have seen ourselves more connected, communication flowing better, and efficiencies have begun to be noticed. With an optimistic perspective, I see that COVID-19 has opened the doors to this type of work, being more and more the norm than the exception. It is an amazing tool that has helped, on the one hand, to prevent and avoid the spread of the virus and, on the other hand, has generated efficiencies, effectiveness and increased productivity in the provision of services. However, we have some challenges ahead to implement and structure this new modality of work under the new normal, such as the need to have a legal framework that regulates it. In the meantime, we share some recommendations:
All of the above must be properly documented and communicated to the employee, so that it becomes mandatory for him. In the event of non-compliance, the employer may exercise its sanctioning power, in accordance with the procedures and sanctions established in its internal work regulations and using the technological tools that it has implemented.
Thus, proper planning and adaptation of working conditions to the new figure of Telework is essential, what has started as something temporary, has expanded exponentially within this new normal that remains to be seen. Teleworking is here to stay, it helps us optimize the time we normally spend in transportation and travel, in effectiveness and productivity, and it has even managed to bring out this social and ecological awareness so necessary in all of us. Work is what you do, not where you do it.
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