Are Rail Fares Pushing the Remote Working Revolution?

We discuss collaboration, homeworking and commuting with BlueJeans

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BluejeansTrainFares
Unified Communications

Published: January 31, 2018

Rob Scott

Rob Scott

Publisher

James Campanini
James Campanini, GM of International Sales, Blue Jeans

Barely a month into the new year, and we’ve already seen some significant increases in the price of rail fare. In fact, within the first two weeks of the month, we got the highest rail fare price increase since 2013. Some figures are beginning to estimate that we’ll soon be spending up to 14% of our annual salary on commuting alone.

As concerns continue to rise around the costs of commuting, the modern worker needs to take matters into their own hands. The best way to do this is to encourage the workforce to embrace more technology for the digital workforce. Pressure from millennial employees has already prompted significant strides in the way we look at flexible working. The next step is in making sure each brand has the right resources to make homeworking as effective as possible.

James Campanini, the General Manager of International sales for BlueJeans, gave me his thoughts on how commuting issues are contributing to the future of work.

How Do You Think Travel Costs Are Changing the Way We Work?

Telecommuting has become a workplace phenomenon in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. A remote working strategy can reduce employee turnover by as much as 50%, and statistics into flexible employment show that 82% of telecommuters report lower levels of stress. Now that it’s becoming increasingly more expensive to get to the office, communication experts like BlueJeans think it’s time for brands to begin changing the way they empower their employees.

75% of the workforce are saying they’d like some opportunity to work from home, and that number is only going to get bigger as prices for travel go up. Commuting is never a predictable experience. Regardless of how much the trains charge, there’s always a chance that a delay on the line could stop you from getting to work on time.”

“The good news is that there is technology out there now that means people can still be productive, wherever they are. You can have a fully interactive video call while someone’s removing a tree from the railway line.”

James noted that eventually, we’ll reach a point where you’re going to lose more money going to work than you earn.

“However, there’s also the fact that travel is unpredictable. Access to the right technology means that you can continue to contribute, regardless of what happens, or where you are.”

How Can Businesses Recognise the Rising Costs of Travel in Their DX Strategy?

Interestingly, James told me that he doesn’t believe that companies will ever be able to eliminate face-to-face interactions from the business environment.

“It’s not about shutting down the office completely but thinking realistically about how much office space you need. You can have an office in the centre of London as your company “hub” for instance, and then give people the freedom to work outside of that space too.”

As powerful as communication and collaboration solutions have become, there’s still something to be said for the face-to-face interactions that colleagues have. The difference now is that you don’t necessarily need to see employees every day.

“I think technology has addressed the problem of the expensive and unpredictable commute. You don’t need to have employees in the office every day if they’re a digital worker. They should be able to work from home at least a portion of the time, while the option to come to the office is available too.”

What is the Impact of Travel Costs on Retention Rates?

It’s no surprise that the rising costs of travel are making it harder for businesses to convince their employees to actually come into the office – particularly when there’s a demand to travel during peak hours. James told me that although there are costs to consider when it comes to providing flexible workers with the technology they need, there are more costs to avoiding the remote revolution.

“I think that forward-thinking companies are looking at their carbon footprint, the rising costs of travel, and also the fact that if you keep forcing people who want flexibility into the office, then you’re going to lose important talent.”

As the younger generation more actively embraces opportunities for communication and collaboration, it’s becoming more difficult to find a reason not to allow at least some flexible working for professionals who can do work outside of the office.

“I’m a firm believer in the productivity that comes from working from home. People are learning how to flex their day using technology.”

BlueJeans and James both believe that with the right technology, and the right telecommuting solution, you get a happier, more productive workforce, and a more cost-efficient business.

How Does Video Conferencing and Collaboration Solve the Cost-Rising Problem?

Technology like BlueJeans gives companies a chance to avoid the ever-unpredictable nature of the commute by boosting productivity in their remote workers. With a high-definition video conferencing and collaboration strategy, employees can connect from any device, anywhere in the world.

“When you look at the entire day, homeworkers are more productive away from the office than they would be sitting on a train several hours a day for their commute. There are hurdles to overcome with flexible working, because it’s getting used to something new, but if you can tap into this solution, there are countless benefits.”

Where is the UK Headed Next?

In the USA during 2017, around 43% of all employees said that they spent some of their time working remotely. I asked James where he thought the UK was headed next.

“The next big thing will be 5G. While you can do a call from a 4G mobile comfortably enough, the truth is that it’s a bit patchy, and you risk your phone getting very hot. 5G allows us to access higher degrees of quality than ever before.”

James believes that the technology we use each day for remote working will become more comfortable, and that will help to drive this revolution forward.

“5G is the thing that’s going to make everything easier. We’re already using really high-quality video and Dolby audio today, but when the cost of bandwidth starts to go down with 5G, then the improvements will just keep coming.”

Additionally, BlueJeans and other companies in the remote-working world think that there will be a greater focus on using the mobile phone. Downloadable apps are already one of BlueJeans biggest strengths, and it’s something that will get bigger with new technology.

“Ultimately, there’s no reason to just have a phone call anymore.”

 

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