Up to eight Exeter City Council staff will be chosen to work from home for a year as part of an initiative to boost flexible working.
The project, which will see volunteers from the ‘paperless and IT-centred’ benefits section enjoy homeworking from July this year, was announced last week.
Each employee will have their home risk-assessed to ensure they are in a safe, secure environment with adequate desk space and good lighting. Their PCs will be linked to the council’s network.
Glyn Bellerby, corporate services director at the city council, said: “We are supporting employees to find a more satisfactory work-life balance.
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“Homeworking has been proved to reduce staff sickness and raise productivity. It allows us to retain skilled and experienced staff,” he added.
Other plans include greater use of laptops and printers by staff, particularly on home visits, which will reduce journeys to and from council buildings to input information.
