Teleworking was a modality that barely 5% of salaried workers in our country practiced, but due to the pandemic and during the last three months of confinement, it has risen to 40% of the active population. With the declaration of the state of alarm, many companies have found themselves in the situation of implementing this modality, which has led to workers improving their digital skills. But make no mistake, teleworking is not a new invention; in the services sector, millions of professionals and employees have been doing it for some years now, and increasingly so, to carry out some of the tasks that they would normally perform in their company.
We have fiber optics, powerful devices with high-definition cameras, which should facilitate videoconferencing (unless it involves physical contact or activities). This has uncovered a major issue: The need for good data access at various points in the home.
But are all homes prepared for teleworking? The vast majority are not.
Quality videoconferencing
Applications like Zoom, Houseparty, Hangouts, and Skype have seen an unusual increase in downloads due to the coronavirus quarantine. Until now, and except for isolated cases, few people made real use of video calls or videoconferences. Now with the pandemic, many have discovered that in their homes and offices, the connections leave a lot to be desired. Why is the experience after a video call not what we expect? The key is usually in the bandwidth. When the connection is via Wi-Fi or a PLC repeater, we may lack bandwidth, which explains the "pixelation" in the image, cuts, sound failures... etc. The important thing, more than a high-end or latest-generation device to connect to the internet, is good internet speed, something that is difficult to achieve with Wi-Fi and PLC repeaters. If, when several people are connected, we ask other users not to use bandwidth on demanding applications like YouTube or Netflix, we are experiencing a lack of bandwidth. Until now, these situations were attributed to the "bad connection provided by the company," but in homes with fiber optic connections of 300 or 600 Mbps, the problem lies within the domestic network itself.
The fountain metaphor: Connectivity at home
In many, if not most, homes, there is only one internet access point at maximum speed, located at the router. We need to think of our internet connection as a water tap. There is only one water tap for each home; this point is like a central fountain for the entire house. To effectively transfer this connectivity throughout the home, there are different solutions, of which Wi-Fi is the most popular. Wi-Fi acts like a garden sprinkler: it delivers a little water to a radius of a few meters but cannot carry the jet with its full pressure. That's why when we want highly reliable internet, we continue to rely on cabling. Cabling is and will continue to be the most reliable and stable way to ensure good bandwidth in the future.
And this is the problem that more and more homes are identifying: the absence of a wired data network in the home. A very real necessity that can be very costly. This is where Plastic Optical Fiber is establishing itself as the practical, fast, and clean solution to this predicament, as it does not require construction work.
What will the telework law be like?
Legislators are currently drafting bills for a more or less imminent enactment into the country's laws. This will create new connectivity needs that will accelerate the digitalization of work in our homes.
Remote work must be voluntary. The law understands teleworking as a "voluntary individual right" and "cannot be imposed on the worker by any means, not even by those that in our labor regulations admit the modification of working conditions with justified cause and specific procedure."
It is established that the company and the worker must agree and put in writing the details of the routines. The draft states that a flexible schedule can be negotiated, although the company may establish availability windows.
Companies must compensate for expenses derived from working at home
People working remotely will have the right to be provided with all the necessary means, equipment, and tools for carrying out their activity." According to the draft law, the worker will be entitled to full reimbursement of expenses.
"The development of remote work must be fully covered by the company, and in no case may it imply the worker bearing direct or indirect expenses related to equipment, tools, and means linked to the performance of their work activity".
Lawyers, unions, and labor law experts take it for granted that companies must provide compensation for expenses incurred from working from home. However, once a legal framework is established, the specific conditions must be agreed upon between the employer and the employee. In Spain, companies like BBVA and Repsol already have this established in their agreements. The former sets a monthly compensation of €50, and the latter has a cap of three working days.
