Working from outside your office is not a new concept. Companies in many industries have already embraced this working model and employ at least one or two home workers. Many executives choose to work from home for at least one day a week. Architects, however, haven't yet jumped on this bandwagon and for most practices it is still a relatively new notion.
With the advent of broadband Internet connections becoming more commonplace, it is becoming more of a reality. Faster connection speeds mean that, with the right technology in place, it is now a viable concern for architects to consider working from home. We have all heard the promises of remote working, but how does it work in practice, can it really improve our lives?
Benefits
The benefits include:
Not getting hassled by the telephone in the office, enabling you to be more productive for work that requires intense concentration
Allows you to maximise on office space - rather than paying for the overhead of a large office, some of your staff could be working efficiently from elsewhere
Managing jobs whilst away on jobs or out of the office e.g. on site
You can access your data from anywhere
Good for a growing business
Beat the traffic - spend less time travelling
You can position yourself geographically near your current clients for particular projects
Cost saving for the company (since BT started to encourage its staff to work at home in 1992, it claims to have saved £180m in property costs)
Good for staff moral and less staff illness (statistics from the Confederation of British Industry suggest stress-related sickness alone costs British business seven billion pounds per year - a cost of £310 per employee per year. These figures are just for days off sick. Further costs come from poor productivity and other illnesses brought on by stress.)
Ahead of the game
Which practices or industries are already doing it?
Many different types of company have already embraced this technology. For example, in the financial trading industries where data is their core of their business there are been stories of company bosses using mobile technology to allow them to check on the activities of their trading team using a laptop from aboard their yachts whilst spending time with their families.
DRP Architects, an innovative practice based in Brighton has ensured that all Directors have broadband installed at home. As the practice grows and they want to maximise office space, they plan to introduce a hot-desking policy for directors.
The technology
Of course home working is only possible if you have the correct systems in place. Here is a quick guide to the type of systems you could need to enable you to work remotely:
Application Service Provider (ASP) systems
Very simply put, ASP software are software products that are maintained by a specialist company on your behalf. The benefits are that you can access the software from anywhere, you do not have to pay for or maintain expensive computer servers, and there are very low running costs in comparison to in-house systems. This technology has been used by the travel industry for booking flights for over 10 years and is now widely accepted by other industries.
One such example of ASP software for Architects is TIMEminder, a financial project management software system. It is specifically designed to ease the problems associated with using a myriad of spreadsheets to manage the costs of projects. It is currently benefiting Practices such as Hawkins Brown, Bamber and Reddan and Peter Taylor Associates
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Did you ever wonder how it would be possible to be able to access all your files that are stored at the office from another location? In the past this was only possible by paying for an expensive dedicated connection to your office. With a VPN, it is now possible to have access to your office files securely, at a fast connection speed using a standard Internet connection. Practices should contact their IT provider for further information.
Wireless Networks
One of the problems with the home office is that computer connections usually tie you to one room. By installing a Wireless Network you will be free of the problems associated with network cables, so you are able to work in the room of your choice, including other buildings and even the garden. Very important for keeping the creative thoughts flowing in!
Firewalls
Obviously, you do not want anyone from outside your practice accessing your company data. Firewalls are designed to allow only the authorised personnel access to your office data. These are absolutely necessary for risk free remote working.
Mobile Phone Technology
Did you know that you can easily connect your mobile phone to your laptop to receive emails, browse the Internet or to use ASP systems? By simply buying a specialist cable you can retrieve information whilst on the move.
"3 out of 4 of our Directors have broadband connections at home to
connect to the office network. We find that we certainly achieve more
out of the office as we have much fewer interruptions"
Chris Richardson
Director, DRP Architects in Brighton
