Is Telecommuting the Office of Today

With the current rate of technological advancement, there is a tendency to buy BT’s vision that portrays the office of the future as your home. But is it real that the formal office is becoming extinct, and the home office is taking its place? There is the debate that mobile internet now gives businesses the freedom to be run from wherever the employee finds most convenient; be it on the beach, in the house, or at a holiday resort. Technology now allows you to have instant access to your data via VPN etc. Non-geographic numbers could even be used to get you connected to your formal workplace.

The arguments are quite compelling, bringing to the table, the idea of once and for all, getting rid of that dreaded “daily commute”. No more sitting in traffic for hours, time that is unproductive for both the employer and the employee. With the mobile office, the employee is in charge of his time, and office workload, and family commitments can be well coordinated. Another plus is that we can say “good riddance” to office politics.

However, BT’s vision does not hold true for all regions. Take Birmingham for instance, where the demand for new office space is on the increase. Prestigious companies consider the buildings they occupy as an investment in itself. More and more of such firms are looking for Grade A office space. Credit must be given where it’s due; the office space is much more than just a space for a person to sit and do the company’s work. It is a place for social interactions, exchange of ideas, and an environment for developing team spirit. Telephone conferencing have their place, but will never take the place of a face-to-face meeting in the office. The office building also projects the image of business, and tells visitors what sort of enterprise they should expect.