Small business owners looking to get more out of their staff should consider allowing them to work away from the office, according to research carried out by YouGov.
The survey, carried out on behalf of T-Mobile, revealed that almost half of office workers (48%) believe they would be more productive if they switched locations and moved away from a traditional office environment. Such a move would also boost their energy levels and give them a better work/life balance (46%), the research claimed.
According to the poll, 23% of office workers would like the ability to work from home in the future with 37% listing being restricted to one location as a gripe with their job. Over half of those questioned (52%) complained about not getting enough exercise when stuck in front of a PC all day.
Respondents pointed to wireless networking – where they can log into their company networks from a remote location – as the key to providing a more flexible and productive working environment, while 65% though future office premises would lend themselves to increased flexible working.
“There is a strong desire among British office workers to move away from the traditional nine-to-six working day, restricted to a fixed environment,” claimed Derek Williamson, head of business marketing at T-Mobile UK. “The ability to change locations, or work from home when appropriate, can enhance productivity, motivation levels and general wellbeing.
“Providing staff with the right technology and services to work effectively on the move means they can gain inspiration from new surroundings and make better use of unproductive deadtime,” he added. “Ultimately, a happier workforce means a more productive workforce, which can have significant benefits on an organisation‘s bottom line.”
As part of a bid to encourage flexible working, T-Mobile recently challenged two entrepreneurs to work remotely for a week using just a USB modem, a laptop and a Nokia N95. Matt Connelly and Darius Pocha, co-founders of Enable Interactive, tested the practicalities of flexible working from locations such as the London Eye, Brighton beach and Heathrow airport.
“I was keen to find out how mobile working could facilitate access to email and internet on the move and turn travel time into effective, remote working,” said Connelly. “Using my laptop and USB modem I could easily catch up on emails, stay in regular contact with my colleagues, upload pictures on to Facebook and even update my blog remotely.”
