Multi-location working in central government

The digitalisation of work offers many opportunities for organising central government services, administration and other tasks in a new way. When customers, information and employees are brought together online, the work can be done in a different way without being tied to time or place.

Before the virus pandemic, remote working had already been fairly widely adopted in central government, and agencies operating nationwide applied a multi-location approach in their work. However, the remote working necessitated by the virus was considerably broader. During the pandemic, many tasks that were previously not thought to be suitable for remote work have been successfully performed remotely. Work processes and procedures have been digitalised, new systems introduced and staff skills in online work have risen to a completely new level. 

About half of the tasks in central government can be performed on a multi-location basis, either in premises designated by the employer or as home-based remote working. Multi-location working offers a range of different opportunities to improve services and work more productively; for employees it can bring a new kind of flexibility for reconciling work with other areas of life.