According to the latest CBI/Pertemps Employment Trends Survey, almost half of UK employers (46 per cent) offer a teleworking option to their staff, compared to 14% in 2008 and only 11% in 2006.
Telework, also known as mobile working, a flexible workplace or telecommuting occurs when information and communications technologies (ICTs) are used by employees to do work outside of the traditional on-site work environment.
It brings many benefits to modern organisations.
British Telecom, began a telework scheme in 1986 and now has 15,000 teleworkers out of 92,000 employees. This type of work saves money for the organisation as staff are on average 20 per cent more productive and take fewer sick days.
But there are many more benefits of introducing flexible practices to your workplace.
Amongst these are:
1. Reduction in costs
Allowing employees to work from home can contribute to substantial savings. According to the Pay and Benefits magazine, work-shifting can save employers between £2,500 and £13,000 in travel and work-related costs.
2. Positive impact on environment
Cutting down on travel required to get to the office or for an appointment (which could be conducted on-line instead) reduces an organisation’s carbon footprint and promotes its environment awareness.
3. Flexible working environment
Mobile working can enhance the work-life balance of employees. The flexi-work option offers businesses access to a wider pull of potential employees, whilst holding on to experienced and skilled staff. It is also proven to contribute to reducing work/life stress, boosting morale and increasing staff engagement.
4. Decrease in employee absenteeism and lateness
Remote working can help employees to avoid travel disruptions caused by public transport delays, cancellations due to bad weather, employee strikes or unprecedented situations such as volcanic ash.
5. ’Plan B’ for your business
The mobile working option should be a part of an organisation’s continuity plan. Good management of unexpected situations, such as emergencies and travel disruptions, requires being able to communicate with customers and operate as productively as normal despite the disturbances.
So is your organisation ready to take advantage of mobile working?
Web-based time and attendance software is an increasingly-used and affordable method of workforce management, allowing organisations to take full advantage of today’s flexible working practices such as mobile working and flexi-time, keeping costs low and increasing employee productivity.
A web-based time and attendance system allows your employees to manage their own time and attendance in a controlled, accessible and efficient way regardless of their location. Staff can remotely clock in and out of tasks, appointments and projects via desktop PCs, laptops, notebooks and the latest communications devices and smart phones. They can also view their holiday entitlements, apply for leave, and request updates to their personal records without constantly interfering with the valuable time of HR staff.
The system also facilitates real-time project tracking, providing accurate analysis of employee activity anytime, anywhere – this greatly increases efficiency and ensures that labour-related costs are genuine. Meanwhile, powerful reporting functionality enables managers and supervisors to identify the commercial impact of staffing decisions and unplanned absence.
For more information on how a web-based time and attendance system could help you embrace mobile/remote working go to www.mitrefinch.co.uk
