Remote working arrangements have considerably increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving a new perspective to a long ongoing debate on a solution which before was primarily an opportunity to improve employees’ work-life balance. 

Research should investigate how remote working arrangements can affect different spaces, focusing on the urban and rural divide and its impacts on the local communities, including on ethical and social aspects, employment, as well as on administration and infrastructures. It should further research how remote working arrangements impact working conditions, notably health and safety of workers, the skills divide, working time, work-life balance and broader social impacts, including family and care arrangements, as well as mental health and loneliness. 

Research activities should also evaluate the consequences of remote working on already existing inequalities, including gender inequality. They should forecast the development of the remote working trend and should identify populations benefitting and populations who run the risk of losing out. 

As remote working is a phenomenon affecting societies on all levels, an outlook and policy recommendations should target policymakers on EU level as well as Member States’, Associated Countries’ and regional/local authorities. Clustering and cooperation with other selected projects under this call and other relevant projects are strongly encouraged. Finally, the topic should contribute to the EU Rural Vision.