By Patrick Hind -


Tired of the daily commute? Fed-up of the endless whir of the office's air conditioning? Maybe it's time you thought about the benefits of leaving the office and working from home.

More and more people are working from their homes, both part- and full-time; what may seem like the preserve of overpaid board members planning their next golf holiday or struggling self-employed tradesmen has become a serious prospect for a great number of people.

Easy access to high-speed internet connections makes many jobs possible from almost anywhere in the world, and the growth in business outsourcing means that the demand is there too.

Add this to the changing nature of the workforce – with a greater number of older employees looking for jobs – and a substantial change in the way we work is underfoot.

The benefits are quite substantial, for both the employer and the employee: working from home means no overheads on premises, a serious saving for the employer; and not commuting into the office saves the employee time, stress and the cost of transport.

"Actually, working 9 to 5, five days a week, at a central location is a bit of an anachronism," according to the chief executive of Work Wise UK, Phil Flaxton.

His organisation campaigns for more flexibility in the UK workforce and a better working relationship between employers and employees, something he feels home working can play a major role in.

"It is only culture which dictates this rigid work structure and it is largely unnecessary," he adds.

My own work is home-based and has been for the better part of two years now, and the benefits have been substantial: I don't need to own a car, fight through rush hour traffic or even bother with a shirt each morning.

Admittedly, the casual dress code may not be for everyone – another home worker I know occasionally puts on a suit, shirt and tie just to give him that extra motivation to tackle the day's work.

"The UK is entering a period of significant change – what we are calling the second Industrial Revolution," argues Mr Flaxton.

"This is not directly related to technological change, as the first Industrial Revolution was, although technology is certainly at the heart of it, but through a fundamental change in working practices and culture."

And the benefits are not just to you and your employer, but to the environment as well – less commuters means less traffic, on public transport and in cars, cutting carbon emissions and at least doing something to offset climate change.

If all this sounds just too tempting to be true, then you need to start thinking about how to cut down on the amount of time you spend at work.

For some jobs, admittedly, this is a distant possibility, but anyone who works predominantly at a computer already has an advantage in trying to move out of the office.

Try convincing your employer of the money he or she will save by cutting down on office premises and electricity bills (which unfortunately you will have to fork out for yourself).

Failing that, quit and go freelance. Now come on, what are you waiting for?

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