Remote working and Vyke

Remote working is on the rise and most companies, including Vyke, are embracing it. We’re based in London and on average it takes staff an hour to get to the office, so an extra couple of hours in the day can offer a better work/life balance and more flexibility, especially for those of us with kids.

Along with the obvious benefits of remote working for workers, studies show that it often leads to increased productivity and efficiency, lower overheads and greater employee engagement. There are also environmental benefits, as fewer journeys leads to a reduced carbon footprint for a business.

In the digital age technology makes remote working possible, so remote workers must have a variety of communication tools at their disposal for every possible scenario. At Vyke we use email, Slack, Hangouts, Skype, and, of course, the Vyke app to keep in touch and collaborate with each other and our global client base throughout the day.

The Vyke app offers free calls to other app users, low cost domestic and international calls, and extra phone lines, all from your existing smartphone. If you’re in the UK your first Vyke number is free and you can add a dedicated work line to make and receive calls without the need for a landline or second device. Numbers can easily be switched off out of hours or at the weekend, and each has its own free, customisable voicemail. All calls are charged at a fraction of your current operator charges.

According to a 2014 survey there are around 4.2 million people in the UK who work exclusively from home, while nearly 50% of the UK workforce would like to work in a more flexible way. Many large companies have embraced remote working so much that they only offer hot-desking for all staff, as employees have chosen to visit the office less frequently. The law has even changed to reflect this shift as your employer must consider flexible working requests, although they are not bound to comply.

Work Wise UK promote smarter working and ‘work life balance’ through working practices such as “agile, flexible, remote and mobile working, as well as working from home”. You can get involved in both their Work Wise Week and National Work from Home Day which takes place on the 19^th May 2017.

The Vyke app is available to download from Google Play and the App Store.