Contact Center Solutions Featured Article

September 24, 2008

Survey Shows Rise in Teleworking; Contact Centers Continue to Benefit

By Susan J. Campbell


The concept of teleworking is becoming more and more attractive to businesses throughout the U.S. and the U.K., as they are finding that new technologies and even specific cultures lend to effective work-at-home strategies.

One industry where this trend has exploded is that of contact centers. Businesses have found that employing individuals from home can produce more efficiency, while also opening up the labor pool options where geographic borders once existed.

According to the latest CBI/Pertemps Employments Trends Survey, the number of individuals teleworking has risen dramatically over the past few years. The survey has found that nearly half of all employers, or 46 percent, reported that they now offer teleworking staff, a dramatic increase from 14 percent as recent as two years ago.
While some companies may be striving to reduce their carbon footprint, others may be trying to avoid a commute or poor transport infrastructure. For some contact centers, they may be unhappy with the offshore options and instead look to a home-based alternative. They are also coming to understand that just because an employee is not in the office, productivity does not have to suffer.

John Cridland, CBI Deputy director, said in a company statement: “The boundaries of the traditional 9 to 5 in the office or on the shop floor are becoming more and more blurred. Employers are embracing the benefits of flexible working, even as the economy heads into more uncertain times.”

“Using teleworking to take work out of the workplace has become very popular, and is also a useful way to avoid a laborious commute, balance family commitments, and even reduce carbon emissions. As technology becomes more reliable and widely available, this trend can only grow,” added Cridland.

Tim Watts, chairman of recruitment specialists at Pertemps, stated, “For the last three decades, flexible working has been the principle backbone of the UK’s productivity. Our strength has not been achieved solely by efficient plant and machinery, but through having a flexible and talented workforce which works to the advantage of both the employee and employer.”

“The revolution in workplace flexibility has ensured that those with the skill and willingness to work have found it easier and easier to find gainful employment,” Watts explained.

The survey also showed that while flexible working has been a success, nearly all 93 percent of employers offering at least one form of flexible working and 57 percent offering at least three, there appears to be a deep concern regarding other areas of employment law.

While many of these issues do have to be resolved by the initial company, teleworking can prove to be a successful option for many companies, especially contact centers seeking to reduce costs and improve the agent pool.
 
Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users. Today’s featured white paper is Fixed Service Strategies for Mobile Network Operators, brought to you by Comverse (News - Alert).

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Michelle Robart


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