Flexible working 'gives access to the best people'
May 29 2008
Permitting people to work from home enables employers to 'reach out and get the best people', an employment expert explains.
According to Caroline Waters, director of employment policy for BT, many managers refuse to allow their staff to work outside the office because 'they think it gives them control'.
However, Waters argues that flexibility and being an environmentally-friendly business are two factors which appeal to potential high-calibre job candidates.
She comments: 'We want them to commute and they want to work from home – just in this country alone, 1.1 billion hours are spent just in getting to work.
'Does that sound like an economy for the 21st century? I don't think so.'
As such, she believes that a change in mindset among employers is essential.
Research by the AA and Work Wise UK have found that the average commuter spends nearly 29 days a year travelling to work - more than five years over a working lifetime.