Telecommuting shows positive results in Cuba

Havana, February 18 (RHC)-- Due to the need for physical distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 more than 629 thousand Cuban workers embraced telecommuting. This modality includes teleworking, with satisfactory results to date.

Ariel Fonseca, deputy director of the Employment Directorate of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS), told the Cuban News Agency that teleworking has been less widespread because it requires greater Internet connectivity, and not all entities have the structure and technological support to assimilate it.

However, he stressed that last year the large-scale application of these variants was positive since it led to energy savings, and in some cases, there was evidence of a higher performance of employees.

He added that almost all sectors of the Cuban economy implemented these modalities. It was more evident in organizations with the necessary infrastructure and activities conducive to it, such as the Ministry of Communications.

Likewise, it was effectively applied in the software industry, in education, and in professional services offered by legal advisors and lawyers, among others.

Fonseca noted that areas such as construction, food production and manufacturing did require the physical presence of workers, but their office staff could also work from home.

He added that since the beginning of 2021, the quantitative impact of telecommuting and teleworking have been lower because although the transmission of the virus has increased, he said that there is superior training in the workplaces under these circumstances. They are focused on maintaining their production.

The executive said that for the control of these data, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security has worked on the computerization of its processes, allowing to know in real-time employees' behavior in each organization