It may be an annual joke to those living in far colder climes but even the whiff of a snowflake is no laughing matter for British small businesses. Experience has proven that even a couple of inches of the scary white stuff can bring transport to a halt, leaving commuters struggling to get to the office and deliveries delayed. The resulting chaos can be costly for SMEs on a tight budget and have a detrimental effect on a company's productivity.
Could flexible working be the answer? The Department for Work and Pensions' family friendly working hours taskforce reported that in 2009, 65% of employers saw improved recruitment and retention levels from having flexible working policies and 58% of small and medium-sized enterprises saw more productivity.
Advances in technology, such as cloud computing, Wi-Fi, smartphones and high speed internet, means allowing staff to work remotely is easier than ever.
Do you or your staff work flexible hours? Has remote working boosted your company's productivity? How do you make it work for your company? How have advances in technology transformed the way your business is run? Share your tips and advice for flexible working in the comment thread below.
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