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The Child Benefit Centre in Tyne & Wear,
UK, pays government benefits to seven million
‘customers’. They process over 60,000
incoming items each day. Becoming fully effective
in awarding benefit can take up to six months, so
it is important for the centre to retain
experienced staff with as many flexible
employment schemes as possible.
Teleworking
A teleworking scheme has brought significant
benefits. At home the processing of awards
improved by almost 40%. Spending time in the
office to communicate with colleagues, sort and
distribute work, catch up on calls, and finish
off work is essential, and means the average
productivity improvement is 14%. Speed and
accuracy of work are much improved, and the home
worker still offers a transparent one stop shop
for callers.
The workers themselves report less
stress, improved morale and motivation, and
benefit from the responsibility and flexibility
it gives them. Better still, however, the centre
and the individuals gained from an average
increase in hours of eight per week from part
timers, including some who were able to return to
full time work. Several others were able to
remain at work or remain full time, which they
would not have been able to do without the
scheme.
The most popular work pattern is two days at
home each week, though some do four. A fax,
dedicated telephone line and answerphone are
provided, with desks and chairs for those who
would like them. Health and safety training is an
important part of the scheme. Security is handled
in the same way at home and in the office, with
secure documents controlled at home just as they
are in the office.
Teething troubles
At first colleagues who were not part of the scheme
reported feeling a bit jealous, even when they didn't want to
take part. They perceived an increased telephone
load. When they realised, however, that home
workers are often prepared to take complex work
to the peace and quiet of home in exchange for
some handling of office work, they feel they win
as well.
Some supervisors have found the change
difficult, having to deal with more forward planning and provide
more
structure to the work, together with more
specific work objectives and measurement to allow
fair appraisal. Home visits were found to be an
unnecessary intrusion on the home worker, also
creating unnecessary extra work for the
supervisor!
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