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The People Advantage of Being High Tech

Guest post by: Kirsten Hemingway

Article Overview: It is a strange anomaly that in this modern technological age, many firms remain firmly entrenched in traditional work practices, requiring employees to be present in an office environment where they are ‘visible’ at all times. It is this ‘mistrust’ that many employers hold regarding home-based workers ‘skiving’ if they cannot be seen that holds back many such companies. Such employers miss out on a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience by sticking to these traditions as more and more employees gravitate towards companies that do offer a more beneficial work-life balance. A company that takes advantage of todays technology opens up a whole new avenue of opportunity

The People Advantage of Being High Tech

With the widespread availability of high-speed telecommunications and the internet, it is an easily achievable aim that much of the day-to-day work can literally be performed from a home location. This allows those seeking the work-life balance continue their career whilst raising a family, on beneficial terms to both parties. The advent of video-conferencing over broadband further enhances the ability to be present at important meetings whilst working from a home location (wherever that home may be). Devices such as the Blackberry can even allow tasks such as receiving emails whilst doing the school-run. Furthermore, studies have often proven home-workers to be far more productive than their office-bound colleagues due to the distinct lack of distraction and/or interruption that office-life brings. Ironically, it is the technology companies (and those that recognise the benefits of such technology) who are leading the way in home and flexible working.

The technology involved to enable flexible / remote-working are varied and are not cost-prohibitive or complex. Most technology companies are down-sizing their office-space and realising considerable cost reductions in terms of overheads. It is not unusual to encounter the concept of ‘hot-desking', whereby a desk is not ‘owned' by any individual or department, but rather is available for use by any authorised employee to use when on the premises.

For those working from home, broadband can be provided by the employer, or reimbursed to the employee, and access to office systems provided through an encrypted connection (Virtual Private Network - VPN) across the internet. Thus the employee can function from home and have access to email and other back-office functions as if they were sat in the office. Voice Over IP (VOIP) can provide telephony facilities through the same broadband connection. Most technology companies now also use private instant messaging (IM) facilities, once connected into the company LAN, which enables employees to keep in touch with one another as if they were in the same office for quick questions, enquiries, knowledge sharing or even office banter.

Kirsten Hemingway Arnold says "using technology companies can access a whole new employment marketplace that will benefit their long term aims. London-based companies (for example) would no longer be restricted to the ever decreasing ‘commuter-belt' skills pool and could benefit financially from employing people outside that area, who would not demand such high wages. Furthermore, disabled people and women raising young families would also suddenly become accessible. The web can facilitate this by putting employers in contact with potential employees using our unique web portal'.

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Article Tags: beneficial terms, broadband connection, company lan, distinct lack, distraction, encrypted connection, home broadband, home location, hot desking, leading the way, network vpn, office functions, office voice, overheads, technology companies, video conferencing, virtual private network, voice over ip voip, work life balance, working from home



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