The Evolution of Teleworking in Portugal: Regional Disparities and Sectoral Variations During the COVID-19 Period and in the Post-Pandemic

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the evolution of teleworking in Portugal during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to analyze sectoral variations and identify regional disparities in teleworking adoption. Theoretical Framework: The research builds on teleworking adoption rates and their variation across sectors and regions considering the differentiation of several factors, like higher education levels and knowledge-intensive sectors. Key concepts include the benefits and challenges of teleworking, the impact of COVID-19 on work practices, and regional disparities in teleworking adoption. Method: This study uses data from the ad hoc module of the Employment Survey by the Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE) for the years 2019 to 2023, on a quarterly basis, for the Portuguese territory. Data were stratified by NUTS II regions and economic activity classification. Findings: The results indicate a substantial increase in teleworking during the pandemic, identifying significant regional and sectoral variations, with higher percentages of teleworking employees in the areas of Information and communication activities, Financial and insurance activities, Real estate activities, Consultancy, scientific, technical, and similar activities, and Administrative and support service activities. The Lisbon Metropolitan Area exhibited the highest percentage of workers in a teleworking model before, during, and after the pandemic period, particularly in knowledge-intensive sectors.