Remote working useful in emergencies, says expert

Posted by Louise Tate

IT outsourcing users should ensure they invest in technologies which allow their employees to work remotely, an expert has suggested.

Mark Lewis, senior Europe, the Middle East and Africa director of marketing and alliances at Riverbed Technology, pointed out that unforeseen circumstances such as heavy weather and tube strikes can damage companies' productivity if staff are prevented from getting into work.

"Any scenario where employees can't get access to their organisation's systems either remotely or locally is naturally going to lead to decline in work productivity," Mr Lewis commented.

The expert said that a homeworking contingency plan is ideal for avoiding this and called on businesses to deploy technology which allows their workers to gain remote access to applications and files that are necessary for their jobs.

Last year, research from collaborative desktop application company oneDrum claimed that remote working technologies can allow employees to dedicate more of their day to their jobs by avoiding the need for them to commute.