Today I have the good fortune of moderating the Evaluating Attitudes about Flexible Work Virtual Conference; a conference hosted by TELUS that seeks to examine how businesses of all sizes can benefit from implementing new ways of working. This afternoon, from coast to coast journalists, bloggers and media outlets will listen in as our panel of experts including Alison Konrad, Professor of Organizational Behaviour, Richard Ivey School of Business, Jennifer Perrier-Knox, Senior Research Analyst, Info-Tech Research Group, Peter Day, President, Endo Networks and Tim Lorman, Director of Strategic Space and Alternative Work, TIAA-CREF speak to one of today’s most hotly debated workplace issues – flexible work.

The idea to host a virtual conference was born of a recent Harris Decima survey that TELUS commissioned. Seeking to explore employers’ and employees’ attitudes and opinions regarding flexible work, the survey’s 1000+ respondents produced some interesting results, including:

• 47% of respondents work remotely at least a few times a month
  
• 46% of workplaces currently offer a flexible working program
  
• 89% of employees agreed that allowing for flexible work makes a company more attractive to work for
  
• The majority of respondents say they are just as productive (48%) or more productive (39%) when working outside the office
  

While many of the above statistics speak to the growing popularity of flexible work with employees, it’s also a wise strategy for high growth companies  in order to keep real estate costs down while also recruiting top talent. Indeed, advancements in communication technologies such as Canada’s newest 3G+ network and Mobile Internet Keys have made flexible work a feasible solution for both small businesses and large corporations.

With the May 24 long weekend and the un-official start of summer right around the corner it seems there’s no better time to highlight the technologies that make working anywhere anytime a reality, whether you’re at the cottage, the beach or your own backyard.  In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if many of the journalists listening in are doing so from off-site locations such as their home offices.

What are the main benefits of mobile working that you see? Does your employer allow you to work away from the office? Do you believe flexible work can help retain employees? Please leave your thoughts by creating a profile or logging in and adding a comment below.

About the Author: Jeff Lowe, Vice-President of Marketing, TELUS Customer Solutions
Jeff oversees brand strategy and marketing communications for TELUS business segments. He has more than 20 years experience in Business-to-Business sales and branding, and has held a wide variety of marketing-related positions including global marketing manager for oil & gas solutions at IBM Corporation. Jeff has a deep understanding of the high tech and telecom industry, and has established himself as a leader in strategic marketing and stakeholder communications.  Jeff is a recipient of the IT Solution Marketing Award (2001) and the Best Practices in Marketing Measurement Award (2003) by the IT Services Marketing Association in Lexington, Massachusetts.