People ‘working smarter’ this summer holiday

More than 200,000 Brits will be taking advantage of the ‘Smarter Working Initiative’ to work out of the office today to mark the start of the school summer holidays. The initiative encourages companies to give their staff the opportunity to spend one day working from a location of their choice to emphasise how flexible working can affect worker morale and the company as a whole.

Businesses across the country have backed the programme, with Timberyard, Haus and NearDesk offering free coffee and access to more than 40 cafés and workspaces across the UK to mark the ‘Smarter Working Initiative day’. The event comes following research revealing that 48% of bosses do not encourage flexible working despite being a priority for 70% of workers and even potentially the key to a healthier workplace.

More than half of workers have admitted to believing some time out of the office will help boost their productivity, and as schools close their doors, the initiative is hoping to drive Brits out of the office as well. 44% of employees would like the opportunity to spend more time with their family and friends, something the scheme aims to address as parents will be able to spend more of their working day with their children.

“Our aim is to show companies that smarter working has an incredibly positive impact on employees and employers alike,” said Jason Downes, Founder of the Smarter Working Initiative. “Understanding these business benefits is the first step towards making a change in company culture, so we’re delighted that so many businesses have signed up to embrace flexible working for one day, and will experience the advantages in increased productivity and morale.”