Millions called to work from home

Technology is enabling people to work virtually anywhere. Blackberries, PDAs, laptops, mobile phones and video conferencing all allow us to do many of the things we used to need an office for from the comfort of home.

Work Wise UK, a not-for-profit organisition, was behind the campaign inviting organisations and employees across the UK to take part in a national day to demonstrate the benefits of home working on Friday May 18.

The idea behind the day is that as many people can now easily do their jobs from home, doing so for one day a week will have a profound impact upon traffic congestion and public transport overcrowding – just look what happens during the school holidays!

Work-wise also argues that working from home significantly improves productivity, enabling businesses to be more competitive, and enhances work-life balance for staff, with added health and leisure benefits.

Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, said: "Technology is enabling people to work virtually anywhere. National Work from Home Day is not an excuse for an extra day off, it is a serious attempt for people and organisations to try out home working."

"For many, there is absolutely no reason to waste hours commuting into a central locations every day of the week. Why not work from home occasionally?"

Many businesses have reported that the introduction of smarter working practices has resulted in better productivity, and improvements in employee relations and staff retention.

BT, one of the UK’s major employers, has experienced a 20 per cent increase in productivity following the introduction of smarter working.

Work Wise Week is a major five-year initiative, supported by the TUC and CBI, to encourage the widespread adoption of new smarter working practices, such as home working, across the country.

Smarter working practices arguably not only increase business productivity and competitiveness but also help to reduce transport congestion (and therefore pollution), and assist disadvantaged groups and harmonise work and family commitments.

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