Businesses need to get flexible to survive, says BT

Businesses must adopt flexible working practices if they are to get through the current economic turbulence, BT Business has claimed.

A report from the Centre for Future Studies has said that businesses should be able to respond to their customers' needs "from the train, hotel room or even the beach".

And businesses in the UK are not up to speed with those in Europe in terms of offering employees broadband technologies, with BT citing research from Ipsos MORI and RIM that only half of UK firms do this, compared with 86 per cent of Spanish companies.

"Flexible working is clearly no longer the luxury option," said BT Business managing director, Bill Murphy.

"Businesses can thrive through their ability to respond to customers promptly, whether from their desk, the train, the home or hotel room.

"In the current climate, the most flexible businesses are better placed to respond to their customers and partners."

BT Business stresses that as company owners are expected to be on hand all the time, it is sensible to integrate the tools that make this easier.