By Tim Richardson for The
Register.
This article has been reproduced with permission.
Set up by not-for-profit outfit the IT Forum Foundation, Work
Wise UK is particularly targeting SMEs. SMEs are the biggest
collective employers in the country, yet are also least likely to
allow staff to work flexibly. Those behind Work Wise UK are looking
to change that to help boost productivity while safeguarding "a
healthy work-life balance".
According to the latest government stats, there are
around 3.1m "home workers" in the UK (people who work mainly in
their own home, or in different places using home as a base) out of
a total working population of 29m.
Work Wise UK believes this can be extended to half of the
workforce within five years.
Of course, technology, such as the increased availability of
affordable broadband and advances in mobile technology, is a vital
part of flexible working, but it isn't everything. Experts say it's
more about changing culture, "changing the way people work and
giving them the skills to work smarter".
BT people and policy director Caroline Waters said: "Where, when
and how we work is changing and today's businesses are more
efficient and more flexible as a result of the networked world in
which we operate.
"However, while the benefits of adopting flexible working
practices are clear in terms of increased productivity and employee
satisfaction, the challenge for management is to ensure that it is
equipped to cope with a digitally enabled workforce."
© The Register
2006
