| The UK marks National Work from Home Day |
Today is the second annual National Work from Home Day, where employers are encouraged to transform their homes into offices for the day.
In addition to making employees happier and therefore more productive through aiding the work/life balance, the ability to work away from the office - even occasionally - lessens the burden on our roads and public transport networks, believes Work Wise UK.
‘Although some would suggest this could be an excuse to skive, or to extend the weekend, it has been demonstrated that enabling staff to work from home, even occasionally, increases productivity,’ said Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, the not-for-profit organisation behind National Work from Home Day and Work Wise Week, which kicked off on Wednesday and runs until next Tuesday.
‘BT currently employs 64,000 flexible workers and 11,500 contracted full time home workers. Where it has introduced these "smarter" working practices, it has seen a 20 per cent increase in productivity. Although a real win-win situation is rare in life, working from home, and other similar smarter working practices, do not have a downside. They benefit all parties: more productivity for businesses,
better work-life balance for staff, less congestion for drivers and less over-crowding for public transport users.’
However, despite many companies going public about their positive attitudes towards more home and flexible working, there are still many employers who have failed to see the light.
‘Home working isn’t a new concept, and whilst European companies have embraced it, British organisations still seem reluctant to go the whole hog and make it widely available,’ said Alistair McKinnon, a senior product manager for ntl: Telewest Business.
‘Part of the problem is that home working still has a stigma attached to it - employers fear that staff will watch daytime TV rather than crack on with their work. This is a misconception and the fact is that the home generally offers a more productive working environment, free from the distractions of the office.’
McKinnon added: ‘Staff should be encouraged to work a regular day when they work from home, and the vast changes in communications technology in recent years means that it is perfectly feasible to do so. We believe that National Working from Home day is an excellent initiative and hopefully as a result more businesses will see how home working can benefit both their organisation and their staff.’
What are your views? Are flexible working practices obviously a good thing, or is it unrealistic for companies to support everyone having the option of working from home? Leave your comments via the link below.
| " | 'Home working isn't a new concept, and whilst European companies have embraced it, British organisations still seem reluctant to go the whole hog and make it widely available,' said Alistair McKinnon, a senior product manager for ntl: Telewest Business. |
