A new survey shows only a small number of people in Japan are getting the safety benefits of working from home. It found that less than 20 percent were telecommuting despite calls to do so to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The private-sector Japan Productivity Center conducted a poll of company employees earlier this month. It wanted to find out if the pandemic has actually led to changes in the way people work in Japan.

The results show just 18 percent of the 1,100 respondents worked remotely at least one day a week as of October.

Center officials said companies in regional cities and smaller firms may not have the necessary IT systems to allow teleworking.

People who do work from home are split more or less evenly on the productivity of telecommuting. Fifty percent said their efficiency has improved, while 49 percent said it has declined.

A senior analyst at the Center says it's necessary to set up more satellite offices for employees.