Save 19 days in time and from 1,000 per year

Today is National work from home day. It is one of the initiatives in Work Wise Week as part of Work Wise UK, the national three-year campaign promoting the wider adoption of smarter working practices, such as flexible working, mobile working, remote working and working from home.

Working from home, even for part of the working week, would greatly enhance peopleís work-life balance. The reduction in travel alone could save several hours per day, freeing up time to spend at home with the family or on leisure activities. Phil Flaxton, chief executive of the IT Forum Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation which is behind the campaign, said: ìBritish workers spend by far the longest time travelling in Europe ñ as much as 47 working days per year (Samsung research 2004), with commuters in the South East facing an average of eight hours per week ñ a whole extra working day!î By working two days a week from home, workers would save 19 working days per year.

The savings will not only be in time but also in cash: apart from the transport costs there is the cappuccino and Danish on the way to the office, lunch in the pub and, for some, congestion charges and parking. A typical train commuter could save 12 a day (5 on the train journey, 2 on coffee and snack, and 5 on lunch) and a typical road commuter 14 per day (average 17 miles @ 40p per mile, 2 coffee and snack and 5 lunch) or 30 per day in London if the 8 congestion charge and 8 parking fee are included. Potential savings could be between 1,152 and 2,880 per year.

Subsequent reductions in traffic volumes and passenger numbers on public transport will result in less congestion and overcrowding, making travel a more bearable chore for people who have no choice but to travel.

The RAC Foundation predicts that smarter working could cut commuter traffic by up to 10 per cent within five years. Edmund King, executive director, said: ìEven if people only worked from home one day a week, the impact would be significant: just look at what happens during the school holidays.

ìRoad congestion costs the UK economy some 20 billion per year. If there is a reasonable take-up of smarter working, we predict that 1.9 billion per year will be saved within five years.î

Brendon Barber, general secretary of the TUC said: ìMore than 10 million people regularly work overtime, although only half of them are rewarded with extra pay or time off in lieu.

ìTravel is an important element ñ the working week figures do not take into account travel time, which in some areas of the country is very significant.

ìSimply reducing that element, or enabling the staggering of the rush hour, will have a fundamental impact on peopleís lives both in terms of time and stress.î

Phil Flaxton continued: ìFor many, working is a far more productive and pleasant working environment than the workplace.î

The concept of smarter working has been around for many years, but it is the recent advances in technology which will have had a huge part to play in enabling its wider adoption. The continuing widespread growth of faster broadband across the UK, and the great steps made in mobile technology, are opening the door for a large cross-section of the UK population to benefit from smarter working.

BT is the first strategic partner to join Work Wise UK and this is fitting as the company represents the UKís largest exponent of flexible working practices. BT currently employs 64,000 flexible workers and 11,500 contracted full time home workers.

Caroline Waters, director, people and policy, BT, said: îThe benefits of flexible working are enormous and the impact on productivity and employee satisfaction due to an improved work/ life balance has been underlined by trusted organisations such as the DTI, CBI and TUC.î

Further information about Work Wise UK, and how organisations can participate in Work Wise Week, can be found on the website