Working from home rather than in an office, typically using a telephone and a personal computer connected to the office via a modem. The term was introduced in the 1980s.
Convenient for employers as it reduces overheads, it also facilitates working part-time for those with such commitments as young children. However, it has proved more costly to administer than many advocates had anticipated in the 1980s. Teleworking is most successful when combined with some attendance at the workplace. In 1991 an estimated 500,000 people in Britain were employed full time in this way, with a further 1.5 million part-time. According to a 1997 estimate, about 2% of the US population were teleworking on any one day.
Author not available, teleworking(or telecommuting). , The Hutchinson Dictionary of Science, 01-01-1998.
