Improving productivity

Building a flexible workplace: teleworking

The internal communications tools discussed above—email and instant messaging and VoIP and video conferencing—can allow your organisation to adopt more flexible work practices, known as teleworking. Strictly speaking, teleworking refers to the use of technology to allow employees to work outside of the office. There are many benefits of teleworking. Employees can work remotely from home, in transit, client premises, or branch offices.

With an increase in broadband services throughout Australia and real-time tools that allow employees to easily collaborate, teleworking is becoming more viable for many businesses.

A regular teleworking policy may decrease office costs—for example, through reduced need for office space and reduced electricity demands. It can also expand your organisation’s recruitment options and ability to retain employees. Teleworking removes geographical location as a constraining factor. It can lead to improved opportunities for employing the best-credentialed applicant, or retaining a valued employee who wishes to relocate. The employer can thus avoid search and productivity costs associated with finding replacement personnel.

Teleworking can also increase workforce participation—for example, for those for whom a physical presence in an office during conventional hours is prohibitive. This includes those who are caring for children or an ill family member.

There are also time and cost savings to the employee due to avoided travel to and from the office. This can increase productivity and reduce fuel or transport costs.

While many businesses can benefit from implementing or expanding teleworking, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What is appropriate for a small business may not suit a large international company. The nature of a business, its culture and technological sophistication will all influence implementation. As a first step, businesses and community organisations might consider recent experiences of similar organisations as shared on teleworking sites such as Telework Australia, and the international telework advisory group Workingfromanywhere.org.

Further development of a teleworking plan may involve consultations with employees; customers, supporters or donors; and with communications IT hardware and/or services suppliers. Australia’s ICT industry organisations, the Australian Information Industry Association and the Australian Computer Society can advise the names of specialist teleworking consultancies.