Tony Corbin, Initiative Project Manager for MATiSSE – the Mobile And Teleworking Initiative for a Smarter South East – encouraged Mutual Business Group members to think about the business benefits of the better use of new technology, in September. He explained how the internet was changing the way we live and work and how MATiSSE was helping businesses benefit from quickly adoptable Smarter Working schemes.

Companies adopting remote working or flexible working hours have reaped benefits. Staff consider it a perk, as they gain a better work/life balance – giving the opportunity, perhaps, to drop the children off to school, and avoiding the stress and cost of the peak time daily commute. MATiSSE has proved that staff working remotely are up to 20 per cent more productive. Larger companies, with desk spaces costing them £5000+ per person pa, gain direct savings, as fewer desk spaces are needed.

Smaller businesses can achieve great benefit through virtual offices – either at home or at smarter working centres. Holding virtual meetings, where colleagues can meet online and can share documents, frees up more productive time and reduces carbon emissions. Details of MATiSSE workshops and schemes, such as trying the One in Five Challenge for a week from 3 November, are on the website: www.ehamp-shire.org/MATiSSE.

Visitors are welcome to join MBG at The Premier Inn, Andover on 18 November at 7:30 a.m. For more information, visit: www.andovermbg.com.