Work Wise Week (3-9 May 2006) marked the start of Work Wise UK, a five-year initiative which will encourage the widespread adoption of smarter working practices, such as flexible working, remote working, mobile working and working from home; promoting a work-life balance. Adopting this modern day approach to our working lives will increase business productivity and competitiveness, reduce transport congestion and pollution, improve health, assist disadvantaged groups and harmonise our work and family commitments.

The aim is for half the working population, some 14 million people, to have the opportunity to work smarter by the end of the programme in 2011. Figures for current smarter workers are not assimilated, although the Office for National Statistics does produce figures for home workers through the Labour Market Survey on a quarterly basis. Currently, around £3.1 million people usually or regularly work from home.

The first task Work Wise UK has undertaken has involved discussions and planning with Government, industry and the unions as to how the vision will be delivered. This stage will culminate with the publication of a concordat – a document outlining the broad objectives of Work Wise UK to which all the partners agree and subscribe.

Following the public signing of the concordat by the partners (in January 2007), it is hoped many thousands of companies and organisations will follow the example and sign-up to the concordat and implement smarter working practices to the benefit of their business, their employees, and the country as a whole.