SMARTER WORKING LAUNCHED WITH SIGNING OF CONCORDAT

Representative of the CBI and the TUC will be among the signatories of the Smarter Working Concordat which will be signed today in London. The concordat is a joint statement supporting the development and implementation of the Work Wise UK campaign and objectives.

Work Wise UK, a not for profit initiative, is in the first year of a five year programme to promote the wider adoption of smarter working practices, such as flexible working, working from home, mobile and remote working. The aim is to bring about a workplace revolution, similar in impact to the Industrial Revolution which Great Britain led in the 19th century.

The goal is to increase significantly the use of these practices by 2011. Such advancements will not only benefit organisations, communities and individuals, but the UK economy as a whole, making it more productive and competitive in the global marketplace. The UK is about to take a major step towards becoming one of the most progressive economies in the world.

There is general agreement across the public and private sectors that the benefits of smarter working are enormous. Apart from the positive implications on employees’ work-life balance and travelling time, the improvements in productivity will help the UK meet competitive challenges.