The work/life balance concept has triggered a surge of interest in ‘flexible’ or ‘mobile’ working. Yet the advantages of this practice go far beyond employee wellbeing.

Organisations that have introduced flexible working policies are already reaping a range of benefits. These include cost savings through better use of office space, improved productivity, better staff motivation and retention rates - a key factor for organisations looking to relocate as a result of the Lyons report.

Access all areas

To enable employees to work remotely, the initial focus for any organisation must be its basic communications infrastructure. Staff should be able to access the LAN (Local Area Network) and all its applications, wherever they are, whenever they want.

Deployment of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is proving a popular solution, offering all the benefits of a private network - secure, cost effective connectivity between offices and computers, but without the cost of installing and managing private network infrastructure.

Today’s IP-based VPNs offer the added benefit of carrying both voice and data over a single, converged network infrastructure and, through ‘plug-and-play’ IP handsets, to deliver increased flexibility in managing moves and changes.

Thanks to companies like ours, Virtual Private Networking technology has now matured into a business class service and IPVPNs are being adopted across the public sector with spectacular results. For example, greater data sharing across secure VPNs enables health trusts and hospitals to exchange patient information to improve the speed and quality of treatment; schools and universities can share expertise via videoconferencing and the technology allows social workers and police to work together seamlessly.

A great range of solutions

Our comprehensive suite of communications products is designed to suit the requirements of any organisation, as well as the needs of individual employees. Solutions range from dial-up and broadband connections for home workers, through to advanced communications networks linking multiple organisations.

The wonder of wireless is also driving mobility into existing LAN infrastructure. For example, in schools, mobile technology can extend communications beyond the IT suite into additional buildings and even temporary classrooms.

Many of our customers are benefiting from high-speed, cost effective and scalable Ethernet technology, through our Metro Ethernet VPN solution. This allows creation of multiple online communities within a single integrated infrastructure. For instance, a local authority could have one private community linking all government bodies, another for its libraries and one for schools. In this respect, Metro Ethernet VPN opens the door to multi-layered collaborative working and information sharing in the public sector.

Citizen connections

Today’s high-speed communications can also transform delivery of public services. For example, as local government strives to meet citizen expectations for a 24/7 seamless service, extending existing call centre facilities has become vital. An IP-based contact centre can do just this, offering advanced call handling facilities to link agents in a variety of offices or even at home, so presenting the appearance of a single centre that can be reached day or night.

Selecting a supplier

Choosing a supplier shouldn’t just be about technical expertise. Successful transition to a more flexible working environment is reliant on best-of-breed technology, but it also requires a significant culture shift.

As such, choosing a service provider that will provide consultative support throughout the period of implementation, as well as offering a fully managed service beyond it, will have a dramatic impact on ROI and ultimately impact on how successful flexible working will be throughout the organisation.