Tunisia - Telecommuting: What if the announced 25,000 jobs were created in the regions?
12 January 2012
Read by 1421 persons
The issue of employment, and more specifically employment in the regions, is a thorny problem to which a solution must be found as soon as possible, as full employment cannot be achieved in the short term. Knowing that the government announced the recruitment of 25,000 civil servants for the year 2012, is it possible to move these jobs to the regions? This would create 25,000 direct jobs in the regions, with an average of one thousand jobs per governorate, in addition to indirect jobs and all that this implies in terms of investment, wealth creation and impact on regional development.
To date, employment in the regions has been based primarily on the private sector and secondarily on public and local authorities, knowing that the contribution of public and local authorities has been more in the form of aid than of permanent jobs as it should be, because only permanent jobs provide a radical solution to this chronic problem.
As for the contribution of the private sector, it will become more difficult, especially in the short term, due to the current investment climate and the many strikes and sit-ins that the country is experiencing.
Thus, the only solution that remains, in the short term, is a strong contribution from the State to the development of sustainable and permanent employment in the regions.
The development of regional employment through the State can be done in three ways:
• by resorting to decentralization,
• by installing some ministries outside Tunis,
• by teleworking.
Recourse to decentralization
Recourse to decentralization will bring decision-making closer to the citizen, or even delegate the taking of certain decisions at the regional level. If this is to be a long-term objective, it is important to note that decentralizing the administration is not easy and will take time - several years - to study what the new subdivision of the country will be, how all this should be organized and, above all, to ensure a successful and sustainable implementation.
The installation of ministries outside Tunis
A second possible solution for the development of regional employment through state employment is the installation of certain ministries in the regions and not in Tunis. If this may be difficult to envisage for existing ministries, it is easy to do for newly created ministries. Moreover, why should a Ministry of Regional Development be located in Tunis, far from the regions?
This relatively easy-to-implement solution also allows the State to make savings, even on a small scale, in that the costs of buildings are far cheaper in the regions than in Tunis.
The use of telework
Using telework means allowing civil servants to work remotely, from the regions, on behalf of the central administration. Thus, civil servants would go to telework centers located in the regions, or even eventually in each delegation, to do the same work they would have done if they were on the employer's premises, i.e. within the central administration.
Several countries have adopted teleworking, such as the United States and some European countries where the teleworking rate is estimated at 18%.
The use of teleworking is certainly the simplest and quickest solution to implement, given that Tunisia has a high-performing telecommunications infrastructure and that some regions already have cyberparks or have an ambitious program, such as the Gafsa region, for example.
Some ministry services work autonomously, without being in direct and permanent contact with either the citizen or other services. What difference does it make for the civil servants of these back-office services to work from the second floor of the ministry or 200 or 400 kilometers away? None. This same principle can also be applied to public companies. Is it necessary for the billing service of Tunisie Telecom, STEG or SONEDE to be in Tunis, Sousse or Sfax? Is it necessary for the application processing services of the CNAM to also be in Tunis, Sousse or Sfax?
If, thanks to teleworking, certain activities remain transparent to the citizen without negative impact, teleworking can bring a lot to Tunisia and Tunisians.
In addition to contributing to the reduction of unemployment in the regions by creating direct and indirect jobs, teleworking offers many advantages such as contributing to regional development through the wealth created, the investments made, fairer and more harmonious growth, the benefit of a better quality work environment, reduced travel time, time savings, improved purchasing power… Indeed, the cost and quality of life are far better in the regions than in Tunis. For those who do not own their home, they will be able to rent a villa at the price of an apartment in Tunis, and access to ownership will be greatly facilitated.
Teleworking will also help to limit rural exodus with all its negative consequences, as well as limit mass movements during holidays.
The government has announced the recruitment of 25,000 civil servants for the year 2012. Why not carry out these recruitments in the regions, precisely by using teleworking? Wouldn't this create 25,000 direct jobs in the regions, with an average of one thousand jobs per governorate? And if we added the indirect jobs, how many would we get?
Webmanagercenter.com
Published on January 9, 2012.
Posted online on January 12, 2012.
To date, employment in the regions has been based primarily on the private sector and secondarily on public and local authorities, knowing that the contribution of public and local authorities has been more in the form of aid than of permanent jobs as it should be, because only permanent jobs provide a radical solution to this chronic problem.
As for the contribution of the private sector, it will become more difficult, especially in the short term, due to the current investment climate and the many strikes and sit-ins that the country is experiencing.
Thus, the only solution that remains, in the short term, is a strong contribution from the State to the development of sustainable and permanent employment in the regions.
The development of regional employment through the State can be done in three ways:
• by resorting to decentralization,
• by installing some ministries outside Tunis,
• by teleworking.
Recourse to decentralization
Recourse to decentralization will bring decision-making closer to the citizen, or even delegate the taking of certain decisions at the regional level. If this is to be a long-term objective, it is important to note that decentralizing the administration is not easy and will take time - several years - to study what the new subdivision of the country will be, how all this should be organized and, above all, to ensure a successful and sustainable implementation.
The installation of ministries outside Tunis
A second possible solution for the development of regional employment through state employment is the installation of certain ministries in the regions and not in Tunis. If this may be difficult to envisage for existing ministries, it is easy to do for newly created ministries. Moreover, why should a Ministry of Regional Development be located in Tunis, far from the regions?
This relatively easy-to-implement solution also allows the State to make savings, even on a small scale, in that the costs of buildings are far cheaper in the regions than in Tunis.
The use of telework
Using telework means allowing civil servants to work remotely, from the regions, on behalf of the central administration. Thus, civil servants would go to telework centers located in the regions, or even eventually in each delegation, to do the same work they would have done if they were on the employer's premises, i.e. within the central administration.
Several countries have adopted teleworking, such as the United States and some European countries where the teleworking rate is estimated at 18%.
The use of teleworking is certainly the simplest and quickest solution to implement, given that Tunisia has a high-performing telecommunications infrastructure and that some regions already have cyberparks or have an ambitious program, such as the Gafsa region, for example.
Some ministry services work autonomously, without being in direct and permanent contact with either the citizen or other services. What difference does it make for the civil servants of these back-office services to work from the second floor of the ministry or 200 or 400 kilometers away? None. This same principle can also be applied to public companies. Is it necessary for the billing service of Tunisie Telecom, STEG or SONEDE to be in Tunis, Sousse or Sfax? Is it necessary for the application processing services of the CNAM to also be in Tunis, Sousse or Sfax?
If, thanks to teleworking, certain activities remain transparent to the citizen without negative impact, teleworking can bring a lot to Tunisia and Tunisians.
In addition to contributing to the reduction of unemployment in the regions by creating direct and indirect jobs, teleworking offers many advantages such as contributing to regional development through the wealth created, the investments made, fairer and more harmonious growth, the benefit of a better quality work environment, reduced travel time, time savings, improved purchasing power… Indeed, the cost and quality of life are far better in the regions than in Tunis. For those who do not own their home, they will be able to rent a villa at the price of an apartment in Tunis, and access to ownership will be greatly facilitated.
Teleworking will also help to limit rural exodus with all its negative consequences, as well as limit mass movements during holidays.
The government has announced the recruitment of 25,000 civil servants for the year 2012. Why not carry out these recruitments in the regions, precisely by using teleworking? Wouldn't this create 25,000 direct jobs in the regions, with an average of one thousand jobs per governorate? And if we added the indirect jobs, how many would we get?
Webmanagercenter.com
Published on January 9, 2012.
Posted online on January 12, 2012.
