Readjusting the Radar: Identifying and Supporting Innovations in Home-based Working

摘要

This paper looks at trends in terms of the numbers and types of home-based workers and the drivers of change by examining the potential economic, social and environmental benefits accrued from home-based working. These trends are examined in terms of:raising local prosperity; creating sustainable, rural, full-time communities; reducing commuting; increasing local inter-trading; and improving personal life/work balance. Two pieces of original research inform this paper: Under the Radar - Tracking andSupporting Rural Home-Based Business (Dwelly, Maguire and Truscott, 2005); and Home-Based Working in the Rural North East (The Chambers and Future Perspectives, 2006). The differences between working from home and working with others in an office, workshop or call centre implies that home-based workers need different skills, aptitudes and support. It also implies the home-based workforce may have a significantly different demographic profile to those currently employed in traditional job markets. Thisresearch has identified four priority rural groups who can particularly benefit from home-based working, and also examines four innovative organisational approaches to home-based working, with examples of each. Home-based working has increasing significance for social and economic stability in rural communities. New models and different types of interventions are recommended at the micro-level, to enable a secure foundation to be built for the future. It is not envisaged that large amounts of additionalfinance will be required to allow this home-based model to proceed, but that the present economic imbalance is redressed. Targeted support for home-based working is potentially a powerful tool for boosting rural employment and incomes. One of the challenges is to develop a policy climate that enables and empowers effective home-based business support nationally, regionally and locally. The imbalanced influence of urban business models on national business advice and support policy needs to be challenged, and support services need to be empowered to set locally appropriate targets. A range of policy suggestions are proposed that are designed to work with the grain of emerging working practices and increasing demands for a new work culture in rural areas.