Flexible working – the next big revolution?

I read dozens of articles during the course of a week and many make me think but not many actually make me want to write about it! 

A recent report highlights the huge savings made by O2 when they did a trial ‘working remotely’ day in preparation for the disruption they may face during the Olympics as their offices are close to the rowing venue.

There are many amazing statistics within report; 2,000 hours saved by staff not having to commute to work which meant 1000 fewer cars on the road and a 12% reduction in electricity and a 53% drop in water consumption at the office building! Now, if that was just one day, what would happen if that was on a permanent basis?

There are so many stigmas attached to working from home which need to be addressed though if this idea can ever be successful. People working from home are not any less productive or committed to their work, in fact as the report highlights the 2,000 hours saved in not commuting, staff worked  nearly half that time instead – surely that says something?

Ok, this may have been a one off, or was it? How much more work could you get done by not having to commute x amount of miles to work each day? With the rising cost of fuel everybody is aware of every £ they put in their tank and how much of their salary it equates too.

I know everyone cannot work remotely from home, there are always going to be jobs that require people to work in a specific location like our nurses and doctors or my husband for example – it would be pretty tricky to fit a Boeing 747 in our garden! But there are a HUGE amount of jobs that could be ‘worked’ remotely.

Unfortunately, it comes down trust! When companies start treating staff like grown adults and not children who need to be monitored 24/7 maybe this revolution can happen! I work from home, but I have never missed a dead line or let a client down. I don’t sit around watching day time TV all day or spend hours lounging around. I don’t think it is because I am self-employed either, yes if I let my clients down or miss a dead line then I don’t get paid, but employed staff could face disciplinary action or worse losing their job so why would they take their work any less seriously than me?

We all know that we need to live, work and play ‘greener’ and surely remote working is one big tick in that box? It is not even the ‘green’ angle that makes this a winner – just think of things like booking an appointment with your GP; there would not be that stampede for all the early morning and late afternoon slots if people worked a more flexible day taking some of the pressure off everybody.

Another huge aspect would be that it also enables people in rural areas to stay within their communities as they don’t need to live in towns and cities where the ‘work’ is. They could then contribute to their local economies and keep other local small businesses going.

I am not saying this is an overnight solution to our problems, but with technology developing almost daily, there are less and less barriers in the way of flexible remote working.  Obviously there would need to be policies and procedures in place to protect both the employer and employee but it is not rocket science!

This really could be revolutionary it just needs more firms like O2 to take the bull by the horns and lead the way! 

Vive la revolution ;o)