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Summary: There are a lot of reasons why working from home is a growing trend. In this article, we explore the technology that businesses can use to set up effective homeworking, including Non Geographic Phone Numbers (NGNs) and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). We also give some tips for employers and employees to consider when setting up home working.
How Inbound Numbers and VoIP can help with Home Working
Here in England, the weather can be very unpredictable, and we've seen snow at strange times of the year. This can lead to travel services across the UK grinding to a halt. There has already been forecasts of heavy snow due to hit the UK in what could be one of the coldest winters in recent years.
It’s not just snow that can cause commuting chaos. Industrial action can mean employees are unable to travel to their usual workplace.
So what do you do when you or your team can’t travel to work? Fortunately, there’s an easy solution.
How does it work?
All you need is an Inbound Phone Number for your business, a landline or mobile phone, computer and Internet Connection - all in the comfort of your own home.
With NGNs and Virtual 01/02 Numbers, you can use this Phone Number for all your marketing materials. When you receive a call, it is automatically diverts to your landline or mobile, wherever you may be. When you dial out, the main office number shows up. You still enjoy all the facilities of your main office phone. You can record calls if required, and voicemail messages can be emailed to you.
Alternatively, you can use a ‘softphone’ i.e. use your computer as a phone with a Bluetooth Connection to your mobile handset or a USB headset plugged into your PC or laptop. This is known as VoIP 'Voice Over Internet Protocol'.
36% of businesses are already using VoIP telephony in the UK. This will reach far higher numbers by 2025 due to BT's announcement to switch off of PSTN and ISDN services.
New technology is not the only reason why home working is a growing trend. It also means no hassle, reduced environmental impact and no time lost commuting. What’s more, home working can save a fortune! A central office amounts to huge overheads in terms of rent and utilities. Any business can save costs by blending two or three days of home working with two or three days of ‘hot desking’ in the office (hot desking is a shared desk space in a central location). On those occasions when face-to-face communication can’t be beaten, you can use Skype or Google Hangouts, both of which are free.
Great examples of Home Working
British Telecom has 15,000 homeworkers out of 92,000 employees. The company reports that homeworkers save an average of £6,000 a year each, are 20% more productive and take fewer sick days.
At HSBC, 15,000 of the bank's 35,000 UK staff have the ability to work from home. HSBC spokesman Mark Hemingway says: "For admin work, we actively organise it so that people can work from home. The rewards for the firm are higher productivity, low absenteeism and better staff retention.”
Research shows that people are more productive at home, according to Cary Cooper, Professor of organisational psychology at Lancaster University Management School.
The only downside of home working is that managers may think if they can’t see you, you’re not actually doing any work. But in an office, you’re paid to be at your desk even though your physical presence doesn’t mean you’re actually contributing anything beneficial to the business’ bottom line!
The company reward scheme may, therefore, need to change so you are paid for deliverables. This means it doesn’t matter where, when or how you do the job, just as long as you produce what you’re paid to.
Find out more about our Home Working Telecoms Solutions
Or call our dedicated account management team on 0800 774 7772
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