More and more Aussies working away from the office

Almost half of Australian workers are now spending more time doing business out of the office than five years ago, according to a recent survey by Telstra to mark the launch of their new Ultimate USB modem.

The survey of over 2000 Australian employees found that one quarter spend five or more hours working away from their office. This is largely due to improved mobile and broadband technology and flexible workplace conditions.

Telstra Spokeswoman Rebekah O’Flaherty said, “Our research shows almost half of all working Australians are spending more time doing business outside the workplace than they were five years ago and they’re attributing that to better technology and increased flexibility of employers.”

Almost 80 per cent of respondents said they would work outside the workplace if allowed by their employer, claiming they would be just as if not more productive if they were allowed to work remotely.

In response to the findings, Paul Colgan, Managing Editor of The Punch advises, “As the technology improves and more and more companies make it an option for their workers, it’s worth stopping to think about how to really realise the potential of remote access.”

He adds that it’s not just big corporations that reap the rewards from having staff working remotely, “small business, too, can get huge benefits from having staff out on the road and handling correspondence or doing paperwork on the fly”.

With more people working from home, or on projects at remote sites away from the office, the collection and management of employee time and attendance data can become increasingly complex.

Mitrefinch provide a range of Employee Management solutions to enable both employees and managers/supervisors to work remotely. From mobile time recording and tracking via iPhone, Blackberry or other Smart Phones, to an Employee Self-Service web application allowing staff to clock in/out or on/off jobs, request leave, shift and work record changes, and check attendance information.

Supervisor functionality includes checking, editing and approving anomalies, planning absences and shift changes, future work planning, skills search, and reporting, allowing them to easily manage their work from PC's or mobile devices wherever they may be.

For more information on Mobile Workforce Management contact Mitrefinch Sales today on 1300 884 831, email sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit www.mitrefinch.com.au

Links to full articles:
Sydney Morning Herald: Aussies working out of the office more
The Punch: Is it time to put the brakes on remote working