Monitoring COVID-19-induced gender differences in teleworking rates using Mobile Network Data

TL;DR

This study develops a method to monitor gender and age differences in teleworking during COVID-19 using mobile network data, providing timely insights to inform policy and address social impacts.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel approach for nowcasting teleworking trends by gender and age using mobile network data, validated with official labor survey data.

Findings

Mobile network data can effectively monitor gender and age differences in teleworking.

The method accurately reflects teleworking trends across Italian regions.

Timely data can support gender-sensitive policymaking during crises.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a sudden need for a wider uptake of home-based telework as means of sustaining the production. Generally, teleworking arrangements impacts directly worker's efficiency and motivation. The direction of this impact, however, depends on the balance between positive effects of teleworking (e.g. increased flexibility and autonomy) and its downsides (e.g. blurring boundaries between private and work life). Moreover, these effects of teleworking can be amplified in case of vulnerable groups of workers, such as women. The first step in understanding the implications of teleworking on women is to have timely information on the extent of teleworking by age and gender. In the absence of timely official statistics, in this paper we propose a method for nowcasting the teleworking trends by age and gender for 20 Italian regions using mobile network operators (MNO) data. The method is developed and validated using MNO data together with the Italian quarterly Labour Force Survey. Our results confirm that the MNO data have the potential to be used as a tool for monitoring gender and age differences in teleworking patterns. This tool becomes even more important today as it could support the adequate gender mainstreaming in the ``Next Generation EU'' recovery plan and help to manage related social impacts of COVID-19 through policymaking.