Thousands have been impacted by rail & tube strikes in the UK this week, with some facing hours of extra travel time to get to their jobs, educational institution or to reach airports to start their holidays. Those trying to make journeys for the purpose of leisure have very little choice but to make other travel arrangements, but the thousands of customers who make the daily commute may well be considering more longer-term alternatives. It has become common place for businesses to offer remote working facilities which gives an option beyond the extreme of seeking alternate employment.

Have the strikes accelerated a trend for remote working and potentially worsened the outlook for the UKs rail and tube networks which have only recently seen passenger numbers returning toward pre-covid levels?

REMOTE WORKING, HERE TO STAY?

The adoption of remote working or telecommuting has continued to increase since the beginning of the 1980s though was historically the domain of certain professions or entrepreneurs. The technology to support remote working has continued to evolve within this time frame though businesses were hesitant to implement solutions for fear of a drop in productivity or security concerns. It has recently gained an increased focus because of the covid-19 pandemic where businesses had to quickly adapt to facilitate remote working en masse. The pandemic forced companies to address their concerns head on and we now see employers and employees alike reaping the benefits of remote working.

Remote working sounds like a dream weighted heavily in favour of the employee, with reductions in travel expenses, no commute time, and an overall uplift to mental wellbeing. Much like the comparison between old money and new money, a new generation of employer and employee continue to push boundaries to enhance productivity whilst striking a better work/life balance. Beyond reductions in energy bills, staff sickness and improvements to productivity, employers have realised that they can attract potential employees from farther afield no longer restricted by geographical location (for those offering complete remote working positions). Hybrid working is becoming increasingly popular and appears to be meeting the best of both worlds, where just occasional visits to the office are required.

To support a distributed workforce, business systems are required to allow for employees to access work-based resources with most businesses having embraced cloud technology to support such innovation. The most crucial requirement for remote working is a robust broadband service and for the 96% of the UK connected to a cabled network, this will not pose an issue; there are some however that will need to review their broadband connection. This is to ensure that it is up to the job of supporting the demands of business applications and may involve a second connection to safeguard the reliability of a continuous service.

ARE YOU ONE OF THE THOUSANDS LEAVING THE UKS CITIES IN FAVOUR OF A MORE SUBURBAN OR RURAL LIFESTYLE?

No longer tethered to their desks or head office, there has been a trend of people migrating from city centres in favour of a more picturesque life in the countryside or suburbia. Those leaving the city often take superfast broadband connectivity for granted and tend to overlook the quality of broadband connectivity away from the city when relocating. Whilst fibre broadband is slowly increasing its reach there are still some regions lagging behind, but there are solutions readily available to bridge the digital divide. 4G & satellite business broadband connections are a popular way to connect to superfast broadband internet where other Internet Service Providers simply cannot reach. Offering general internet connectivity and support for business applications, 4G and satellite broadband connections do not require a telephone line and you do not need to be close to an exchange. Satellite broadband is typically more flexible, only requiring a clear line of sight to the sky where the satellite is located. 4G does have some constraints, some regions do not have blanket coverage, but an outdoor antenna will overcome this problem in most cases.

4G & satellite broadband can help you to strike that work-life balance you have been striving for by empowering you to relocate to a rural or remote location whilst maintaining a business broadband connection. Perhaps you are even considering on giving up on corporate life altogether in favour of chasing a dream of operating your own business in the beautiful countryside. No matter your motivation Freedomsat have a range of broadband solutions to support hybrid working for those who live in rural or remote locations.

If you would like more information about our broadband solutions or if you wish to discuss what options are available at your location, please complete the below contact form and a member of our sales team will get in touch to discuss your options.