Work Wise UK Concordat

of the UK's leading organisations from the public, private and third sectors have signed up to the Work Wise Concordat, pledging to encourage the adoption of Smarter Working Practices. To find out about the Work Wise Concordat and how to sign up click here

 

 
WORK WISE WEEK 2008 AND NATIONAL WORK FROM HOME DAY
Thursday 15th - Wednesday 21st 2008 

 

PARTICIPATING IN WORK WISE WEEK 2008
Work Wise Week 2008 runs from Thursday, May 15, until Wednesday, May 21, and has  events where you and your organisation can benefit and learn about smarter working.

It commences with National Work From Home Day on Thursday, May 15. Following last year's great success, many more are expected to join, from Slough stationers to Scottish software sellers.

During the week there are many other opportunities to get involved, with each day tackling a different issue. Friday, May 16, will examine the environmental benefits of smarter working, Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18, will be about those who work at weekends, and Monday, May 19, will cover how smarter working can reduce pressure on our congested transport system. The penultimate day, Tuesday, May 19, will be about employee and social benefits, helping to encourage a more productive workforce.

The week culminates with the Work Wise UK summit at the QEII Conference Centre in central London.  Among its keynote speakers will be Rt Hon. Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State, DEFRA, Brendan Barber, Secretary General, TUC, and Caroline Waters, Director of People and Policy, BT. There will be the opportunity to discover how you and your organisation can boost productivity and competitiveness through smarter working practices. Also find out how to deliver environmental benefits, reducing your future exposure to growing carbon taxes.

 

National Work From Home Day, Thursday, May 15
CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW YOU CAN TAKE PART

Benefit from smarter working practices by participating in National Work From Home Day. BT has widely implemented home working and improved its productivity by a staggering 20 per cent. These gains partly stem from eliminating commuting time, reducing staff stress as well as reducing congestion and carbon emissions. Also working from home frees up time, providing a better work-life balance. This will help create a more committed and motivated workforce.

Practical tips on home working can be found at useful links or see our Smarter Working Glossary on When and Where to work smarter.

 

Environmental Benefits of Smarter Working, Friday, May 16
Against a background of growing environmental concern and consequential green taxation, "business as usual" is no longer an option. This day will focus on how smarter working can reduce your or your organisation's emissions, and ultimately cost.

So how can you use smarter working to make your operations greener?

  • Allowing employees to work from home reduces commuting journeys and transport emissions.
  • Flexible working can also limit the need to commute. Employees could work compressed working hours, for example doing their standard 371/2 hours in a week over four working days instead of five. This avoids the necessity to commute one day per week.

Further practical information on how to implement such working practices can be found at: useful links

 

Smart Working Weekend, Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18
There are many organisations that have to provide a service over the weekend, from those involved in transport, emergency services such as the police and ambulances, through to IT support. Smart working practices could help simplify your organisation's weekend cover, making it more effective and less costly. They also benefit employees' work-life balance, while maintaining accessibility.

Further practical information on how to implement such working practices can be found at: useful links

 

Work Wise Week - Transport, Monday, May 19
The fifth day of Work Wise Week will focus on the issue of transport and how smarter working practise can reduce transport demand. This will help relieve congestion and decrease emissions, as well as free-up our transport infrastructure, benefiting the UK economy.

You or your organisation can join this initiative and experience the rewards, of not only reducing your direct transport costs, but also indirect costs. Valuable staff wasting time commuting or travelling, when a smart alternative is available, add up to a considerable cost to your business.

So how can your organisation eliminate unnecessary journeys?

  •  Allowing employees to work from home reduces commuting journeys and transport emissions.
  • Flexible working can also limit the need to commute. Employees could work compressed working hours, for example doing their standard 371/2 hours in a week over four working days instead of five. This avoids the necessity to commute one day per week.

Further practical information on how to implement such working practices can be found at: Useful Links

 

Work Wise Week - Social Benefits, Tuesday May 20
Smarter working practices when implemented effectively can lead to a better work-life balance for the workforce. Stress has been identified as a major health issue of the modern age, not only impacting on our quality of life, but also on productivity and competitiveness.

More on smart working business benefits can be found in the Smarter Working Guide

You or your organisation are welcome to try out smarter working practices, and experience the advantages of a more motivated workforce.

So how can your organisation boost work-life balance and workforce productivity?

  • Allowing employees to work from home reduces commuting journeys and transport emissions.
  • Flexible working can also limit the need to commute. Employees could work compressed working hours, for example doing their standard 371/2 hours in a week over four working days instead of five.

Further practical information on how to implement such working practices can be found at: useful links

 

Work Wise UK Summit, Wednesday, May 21
Taking place at the QEII Conference Centre in central London, the summit represents an opportunity for delegates to share the smarter working expertise of eminent business leaders and heads of professional bodies. In the morning session, keynote speakers will explain how these methods help boost productivity and competitiveness.  Delegates will also discover how transport congestion, pollution, health, work-life balance and participation of disadvantaged groups in the workplace can be improved through smarter working practices, providing major economic and social benefits to the UK.

In the afternoon, the focus shifts to understanding how smarter working can reduce the future impact of green taxes on  organisations, and help tackle the threat of climate change. Over the next 10 to 15 years, business will face conditions where emissions are increasingly taxed.  Against this background, firms which implement sustainable strategies such as smarter working will be more successful than those who do not.

Speakers for the day include:

  • Rt Hon. Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State, DEFRA
  • Brendan Barber, Secretary General, TUC
  • Caroline Waters, Director of People and Policy, BT
  • Edmund King, President, the Automobile Association
  • Ben Plowden, Director, Smarter Travel Unit, Transport for London