GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Urban areas: it has the potential to alleviate housing prices and air quality. On the other hand, it can change the urban landscape, notably regarding the occupation of buildings and their usage in areas where enterprises may switch completely to remote work arrangements. Rural areas: it can create more dynamism and attract necessary investments, including for essential services such as health care and transport. Rural areas tend to concentrate key sectors for the green transition, such as agriculture and clean energy production, for which attracting skilled, remote workers could affect particular challenges faced by rural areas, such as an ageing population and skills shortage.

It should research how remote working arrangements impact working conditions, notably health and safety of workers, the skills divide, working time, work-life balance and broader social impacts, including family and care arrangements, as well as mental health and loneliness. Research activities should also evaluate the consequences of remote working on already existing inequalities, including gender inequality. They should forecast the development of the remote working trend and should identify populations benefitting and populations who run the risk of losing out.

As remote working is a phenomenon affecting societies on all levels, an outlook and policy recommendations should target policymakers on EU level as well as Member States’, Associated Countries’ and regional/local authorities.

The topic should contribute to the EU Rural Vision.