How does telework impact daily and residential mobilities: New geographies of working and living in Switzerland

Abstract

The practice of telework has undergone a transformative shift, fundamentally reshaping work and lifestyle choices. Switzerland, like many other regions, experienced a remarkable acceleration of this shift, with the COVID-19 pandemic propelling telework from 25% of the workforce before the outbreak to 37.1% by the year 2022 (FSO, 2023). This surge in telework adoption has potentially enabled a re-evaluation of how people engage with their professional lives, offering new possibilities for individuals with diverse lifestyles and life course situations. This article explores the implications of telework on daily and residential mobility, focusing on the Swiss context. Our research addresses two key questions: Firstly, how does telework influence commuting patterns, and what are the resulting rebound effects on daily mobility. Secondly, what transformations occur in residential situations because of telework, and how do they influence mobility or immobility, and the choice of residence locations. To answer these questions, we analyze an ad hoc survey (n = 5′100). We will be discussing teleworking practices, socio-demographic factors, mobilities, and residential situations. Our central result is that telework reduces commuting frequencies while facilitating residential immobility but creating longer distances between workplaces and residences.