BT send its workers home

BT is hoping to persuade 10 per cent of its UK administration and sales workforce to work from home.

The UK telco plans to have 10,000 people working remotely by March next year, most of whom will be equipped with laptops, high-speed communications links and Internet access, with some also having videoconferencing facilities.

BT claimed the move is part of a drive to cut costs, as it will result in a number of buildings in London being closed. But it has long supported teleworking, saying it benefits the employer and employee as well as the environment.

Alan Denbry, executive director of the Telework, Telecottage and Telecentre Association (TCA), welcomed the initiative. "It is very encouraging to see a major company doing this. It is a difficult strategy to put into action for such a large company but if BT can do it, others will follow." He said the move is a logical step for BT. "They have had some of their internal sales staff working from home for a while, so they know what the potential cost savings could be," he said.

A spokeswoman for BT said: "Although there will be a cost associated with setting the workers up with the necessary equipment, it will enable us to close office space that is currently inefficiently used."

For more information on Teleworking, see the TCA Web site on http://www.tca.org.uk