The Government has urged businesses to follow the example of Scandinavian countries and embrace teleworking.
Sweden and Denmark now lead the way in teleworking with more staff working remotely than any other nation.
Scandinavian countries enjoy greater efficiency and productivity as a result, claimed e-commerce minister Patricia Hewitt.
And Hewitt said HR has an active role in starting the digital revolution in British companies, as pioneering schemes like teleworking are impossible without the support of employees.
“If we are to exploit the full potential of teleworking, we have to ensure fair treatment of remote workers,” she said. “It is not about technology – it is about people.”
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Hewitt said some UK companies had already begun to reap the huge benefits of remote working. She cited the case of Cambridge Electronics, which uses a secure web site to exchange information with clients.
“This has created great transparency in the company’s interaction with its clients in Silicon Valley, who say they know more about what is happening at Cambridge Electronics than they do with their own company,” Hewitt said.
