Economy can save billions by adopting anywhere working

THE adoption of ‘anywhere working’ practices could save the UK economy £45.3bn in lost productivity every year, a Microsoft expert has said.

Speaking at an exclusive event to provide businesses with everything they need to know about how to benefit from ‘anywhere working, Daniel Langton said the London Olympics had shown that flexible working patterns were successful.

“The nature of the Olympics was a chance for employees to try something different, said Mr Langton, Microsoft’s small and medium-sized business marketing manager. “Companies have latched on to the benefits of that.”

Mr Langton told the audience at the event, supported by and held at the offices of law firm Irwin Mitchell in Leeds, that it has been estimated that as well as saving companies an estimated £45.3bn in productivity, anywhere working could reduce absenteeism by a further £3.2bn a year.

He also claimed that employees clogging up roads trying to get to and from offices during peak congestion hours cost UK plc £8bn a year.

“Ten years ago anywhere working seemed to be something only big businesses were interested in doing,” Mr Langton said. “Today, it’s another tool in a company’s armoury to be as flexible and cost effective as possible.”

During the seminar, hosted by TheBusinessDesk.com’s founder David Parkin, Mr Langton demonstrated the latest technology through Microsoft Office 365. The product allows companies of all sizes to adopt flexible working practices.

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Mr Langton explained how the office was becoming more of a meeting ‘hub’ for employees as technology continues to develop, allowing staff to work via ‘cloud’ technology at the home or in a cafe.

He also said that evidence showed that those allowed to work flexibly felt more of a commitment and affinity to their organisation and that there was often a more positive effect on employee productivity.

Padma Tadi, an employment lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, told the seminar that in many cases there was a legal obligation for employers to consider flexible working requests.

If a flexible working request was granted, Ms Tadi said it was important that employers met with the staff member on a weekly or monthly basis to ensure they were hitting set targets and working to the same ability as if they were in an office environment.

“We actually see people become more motivated if they’re given that flexibility,” she said.

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