Industry news

Technological breakthroughs 'have enabled remote working'

Technology has enabled people to work remotely, an economic organisation has said.

Work Wise UK believes the developments in new technology such as broadband and mobile equipment have made working from home a possibility.

Phil Flaxton, chief executive of the not-for-proft organisation, said: "If there hadn't been the development in new technology over the last three to four years, more and more of the working population could not do this; five or six years ago it wasn't possible."

He added that people who now work at home or in coffee shops, support centres, hotels or airport lounges have these breakthroughs to thank for this.

According to the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, the first DTI flexible working employee survey found that more than half of employees were aware of the right to request flexible working hours.

It also found that 13 per cent of all employees requested to work flexibly since the right to do so was introduced in April 2003.