Rates of Work from Home in High-Tech and Overall Economy<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hybrid work model preserves some of the advantages of working from home highlighted during the Covid period. For example, it allows to reduce traffic on the road and lower air pollution, enables employees to live far from centers of employment, and allows the flexibility needed by parents in the labor market in a way that supports greater gender equality. A transition to the hybrid work model can create new employment opportunities in geographical and social periphery areas, reduce economic and social gaps, and facilitate the integration of people with disabilities. In particular, an experts committee report on a transition to working from home written before the outbreak of Covid with the support of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Environmental Protection found that a public sector transition to working from home for 15% of working hours is expected to benefit the economy by NIS 850 million a year.2<\/a><\/sup>See: Implementation of a Working from Home Policy in Israel, Summary and Insights of an Experts Committee, 2020<\/span> Nevertheless, it must be remembered that not all sectors of the economy are suited to working from home.3<\/a><\/sup>Source: Ability to Work from Home Among Employees in Israel, Taub Center Report, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n With respect to the organizations and the state, the hybrid model creates several managerial challenges related to the creation of new policy. To enable and encourage the adoption of a hybrid work model, the state must be responsible for deploying suitable infrastructure e.g., internet infrastructures must be improved in periphery areas including for 700,000 Arab citizens. Currently, more than a third of Israel\u2019s Arab population lack access to the HOT internet infrastructure. Another issue requiring attention to enable businesses to continue operating while employees work from home, including provision of digital services, is the speed of the internet bit rate in Israel. According to a test conducted by \u2018Speedtest\u2019, Israel is positioned in 19th place out of the 37 OECD countries in speed of wired internet networks. According to the findings, the average speed of wired internet in Israel in June 2020 was nearly 100 Mbps, compared to speeds of over 140 Mbps in countries such as Spain, the US, France, Korea, and others.4<\/a><\/sup>See: Fixed Internet Infrastructures and Bit Speed on Internet and Periphery Settlements.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/innovationisrael.org.il\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/06\/echapter3-9-1024x674.png\")
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