Strongargumentsforlettingstaffworkfromhomeincluderisingcostsofofficespacetimelosttostressfulcommutingandaslowrecognition.Forthesmallbusinessthereareadditionalbenefitstoo—staffaremoreproductiveand

　　Strongargumentsforlettingstaffworkfromhomeincluderisingcostsofofficespacetimelosttostressfulcommutingandaslowrecognition.

　　Forthesmallbusinessthereareadditionalbenefitstoo—staffaremoreproductiveandhappierenablingfirmstokeeptheiremployeesandtheiremploymentcoststoaminimum.Itcanalsoprovidecompetitiveadvantageespeciallywhensmallbusinesseswanttoattractnewstaffbutdon'thavethebudgettoofferhugesalaries.

　　Whilecompanymanagershaveknownaboutthebenefitsforalongtimemanyhavedonelittleaboutit.Yetthisisnowchanging.WhencommunicationsproviderInter-telresearchedtheuseofremoteworkingsolutionsamongsmall-and-medium-sizedUKbusinessesinAprilthisyearitfoundthat28%morecompaniesclaimedtohaveintroducedflexibleworkingpracticesthanayearago.

　　Technologyadvancesincludingthewidespreadavailabilityofbroadbandwhichnowcoversalmostallofthecountryaremakingtheintroductionofremoteworkingapieceofcake.Therearesomeveryexcitingdevelopmentswhichhaveenabledthat.

　　Yetwhilebroadbandhascomedowninpricetoothoseserviceproviderstargetingthebusinessmarketwarnagainstconsumerservicesmasquerading（伪装）asbusiness-friendlybroadband."Broadbandisavailableforaslittleas15poundsamonthbutmanybusinessesfailtoappreciatethehiddencostsofsuchaservice"saysNeilStephensonsalesandmarketingdirectoratOnyxInternetaninternetserviceproviderbasedinthenorth-eastofEngland."Providersofferingbroadbandforrock-bottompriceshaveabadreputationforpoorservicewithregularbreakdownsandheavilycongestednetworks.Itisalwaysadvisableforbusinessestolookbeyondthepricetagandlookforabusiness-onlyproviderthatcanoffermorereliabilitywithgoodsupport."Suchservicesdon'tcosttoomuch—qualityservicescanbefoundforupwardsof30poundsamonth.

　　Thebenefitsofbroadbandtotheoccasionalhomeworkerarethattheycanaccessemailinrealtimeandtakefulladvantageofservicessuchasinternet-basedbackuporeveninternet-basedphoneservices.

　　Bylawcompaniesmust"considerseriously"requeststoworkflexiblymadebyaparentwithachildunderthea