DO YOUR HOMEWORK
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY Barry du Plessis
• Commuting costs in the country could be cut by R39.5 billion , saving workers 320 million hours of travel to and from work annually .
• South Africa has 574 000 part-time workers who would like to work remotely . These workers could create an additional R5.2 billion for the economy in gross value-added output .
• South Africa ’ s economy could get a R17 billion boost annually if a culture of remote working via the Internet was adopted here . Importantly , the study also revealed that remote working could bring skilled people back into the country ’ s workforce . Over 90 % of the people surveyed who were not economically active because they were unable to work in a formal workspace — stay-at-home parents and the like — said that if they were able to work remotely they would rejoin the economy . This could give employers access to valuable , necessary skills that are presently being ignored simply because we insist on herding workers together into the same physical space every day . Brendan McAravey , country manager of Citrix South Africa , said in the report that it is this cultural mindset that needs to change and that local companies need to shift their focus from one of “ hours spent at work ” to one of “ productive outputs ”. Technology is no longer the barrier , he said , it ’ s a mind shift that needs to happen . Obviously , not every business is able to allow employees to work off-site . But with a little ingenuity and a willingness to think outside the box , you ’ d be surprised what can be done .
Capital | Issue 2 | 43 .