Small businesses could save money by offering employees the option of home working, a new study suggests. Research by Citrix Online has studied the effects the recent Tube strikes had on businesses in the capital and found that over 1.3 million hours were lost by firms as a result. It found that 54 per cent of London workers had to travel into the office due to employers 'banning them' from remote working.This is despite 47 per cent claiming to have been able to be just as productive working from home.The survey of 1,000 Londoners found that 33 per cent of them were disrupted by the strike by Underground staff. Some were found to have abandoned their journey, with only five per cent working from home, two per cent taking the day off and one per cent admitting to a sickie.
Gareth Osborne of APA said, “There is still a reluctance to trust staff working from home and until Managers tackle this head-on they will never take advantage of this inevitable trend in working practice. I personally believe the Head Office of the future will be entirely virtual and most people will operate from home or smaller remote locations.”
Bernardo de Albergaria, general manager at Citrix Online, said, "The survey clearly demonstrates that workers could be as or more productive working from home, but unfortunately many businesses are not being as quick to recognise the benefits of adopting a flexible working approach in their business continuity plans."
Bernardo de Albergaria, general manager at Citrix Online, said, "The survey clearly demonstrates that workers could be as or more productive working from home, but unfortunately many businesses are not being as quick to recognise the benefits of adopting a flexible working approach in their business continuity plans."
APA would encourage all forward thinking employers to form a Home Working Policy Group to start developing a strategy for inclusion in the staff handbook. It is worth starting by looking at those jobs that can be operated more flexibly. Gareth concluded, "I regularly work from home and can do three super productive hours before I break for breakfast at 9am."
APA
2 comments:
My Boss has always been reluctant to consider home working and freely admits he doesn't trust people to do 'an honest days work' from home. I think it is time I sat him down again and asked him to reconsider his attitude towards remote operation and consider the savings.
I like the idea of a Task Group. This could win me serious 'brownie points' with the whole team if we can pull if off.
I agree with Anonymous although I do have a very forward thinking Boss. We do have a couple of people who occasionally work from home. I have a semi-remote Boss so I could work from home occasionally(especially when the schools are on holiday!) but, I do feel that there is huge value in having a team working closely together - it's my old chestnut - communication is vital!
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