Advantages and disadvantages of teleworking in Brazilian public administration: analysis of SERPRO and Federal Revenue experiences

Abstract This study investigates the advantages and disadvantages of teleworking in public administration from the perception of 98 teleworkers and 28 managers at the Brazilian Federal Data Processing Service (SERPRO) and the Federal Revenue Service. Qualitative-quantitative research, consisting of questionnaires applied to teleworkers and interviews with managers, dealt with structural, physical, personal, professional, and psychological aspects. The results showed advantages such as better quality of life, work-family balance, greater productivity and flexibility, the possibility of creating standard metrics, better assessment of the workload, and reduction of costs, stress, commuting time, as well as less exposure to violence. As for disadvantages, the study identified elements such as non-adaptation, lack of communication and connection with the company, psychological problems, lack of infrastructure and control of the teleworker. The research concludes that teleworking requires a management model that makes it more adherent to the public sphere.

摘要 本研究基于巴西联邦数据处理服务（SERPRO）与联邦税务局的98名远程办公者及28名管理者的视角，探讨公共行政领域远程办公的利弊。本研究采用质性-量化混合研究方法，通过向远程办公者发放问卷、对管理者开展访谈的形式，围绕结构、物理、个人、职业及心理多个层面展开分析。研究结果显示，远程办公具备多项优势：生活质量提升、工作与家庭平衡改善、生产力与灵活性增强、可建立标准化考核指标、更精准地评估工作量，同时还能降低成本、缓解压力、缩短通勤时间，并减少暴力接触风险。而就劣势而言，本研究识别出多项问题：适应不良、与企业沟通及联结缺失、心理问题、基础设施不足，以及对远程办公者的管控缺位。本研究最终得出结论：远程办公需构建契合公共行政领域特性的管理模式。