Paradigm Shifting-The Use of Mobile Communications at Work and the Subsequent Effects

The physical distancing measures generated by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced companies to rethink employment patterns and to pay much more attention to the possibility of carrying out work through telework. The expansion of telework, a phenomenon that manifested itself even before the pandemic's health crisis, has gained a particular momentum, changing how work is carried out. The main purpose of this paper is to study the main macroeconomic effects of the accelerated expansion of telework on the economic performance and the employment structure by the economic sectors of the workforce. Using artificial neural network analysis and structured equation modeling, the study highlights the significant influences of telework on economic performance and speeding up the transition service-based economy. The share of teleworkers has a significantly positive influence on economic performance. Moreover, the employees' use of computers, mobile devices, and the internet has a strong mediation effect on the relationship between telework and employment in services. Given these considerations, teleworking is a phenomenon that will become a permanent feature of the future.