Homeward bound

Whilst the debate regarding home and flexible working continues to feature heavily in the headlines, there appears to be a huge trend towards companies and their employees embracing the benefits of balancing work/life and implementing these practices.

Higher productivity, greater job satisfaction, lower absenteeism and staff turnover were cited as just some of the advantages following introduction. Not forgetting a priority for many of us these days - the environmental benefits a reduction in commuting brings.

Not surprisingly then, a recent survey from O2 of 530 small businesses found that 50% do not work in formal offices. Of that 50%, 24% had offices but worked remotely or from home, while 18% had made the transition in the past eight months.

Similarly, a comprehensive report from the CBI reflected that of the 513 firms and public-sector organisations they polled, 46% now offered flexible working to staff - a sharp rise in labour flexibility from 14% in 2006 to 46% in 2008.

So what is behind the big increase?

Whilst many factors contribute including our current economy, the main enabler appears to be it is now easier than ever to implement reliable and cost effective technology required to make it possible.

Initial concerns over the upfront costs of home set-up, potential IT problems and communication difficulties have been dispelled due to the vast improvements made to infrastructure and technology. Quite simply, now more than ever, it is possible to have all your office functionality at a low-cost within the home, whilst still being fully involved in office culture.

As access to Broadband services and the introduction of BT 21CN, (which will enable delivery of voice, higher bandwidth IP connections and multi media products such as on demand interactive TV) continues to develop, our ability to work from anywhere, whilst still maintaining a professional presence is becoming a reality.

Include in these developments the introduction of IP telephony. Their use of broadband connectivity instead of a traditional phone line enables, amongst other capabilities, free calls between offices and homeworkers, ‘one number portability’ and a full range of telephony features such as voicemail, voicemail to email, call forwarding and divert. Your location may change but your ability to respond quickly whilst portraying your professional appearance need not.

It’s certainly food for thought, especially whilst we weather the financial storm, that those companies who explore their options wisely and focus on return on investment in this area, could allow themselves to operate more efficiently and increase productivity.

So how are you going to face the changes in working practices? Knowing what is possible and the technology available can help you make an informed decision.
 
We can help you get ready and welcome your interest, so contact us on 0845 070 5460 or sales@total-ltd.co.uk.