Could remote working ensure a healthy workforce?

The ongoing swine flu pandemic should have alerted businesses to the importance of having remote working technology in place to allow employees to stay at home, therefore better ensuring a healthy workforce, one sector commentator has said.

Martino Corbelli, marketing director at Star, said that the recent publicity surrounding swine flu may well have convinced employers, which may include HR professionals, to invest in remote working facilities.

He added that this may help businesses to remain operational in the event that the majority of their staff were unable to travel into the workplace.

"Businesses that do not have remote working facilities or that only provide remote access to corporate email will find it extremely difficult to remain operational in the event of a disaster," Mr Corbelli stated.

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He noted that this could lead to poor customer retention and a drop in future profits.

And according to Star, 92 per cent of small to medium-sized businesses agreed that remote working would help them to cope with a crisis caused by widespread illness, such as the swine flu pandemic.