Partner Article

NECC creates innovative workplace for staff

One of the region’s leading employers’ organisations has put its working practices through their paces to put ‘wise’ working at the heart of the business. The North East Chamber of Commerce, which represents 4,400 businesses that collectively employ a third of the region’s workforce, has undertaken a major review to give its 230 staff a whole host of opportunities to work more flexibly as part of the Work Wise North East campaign.

Home and remote working, along with staggered start times, are being underpinned by improved technology to make life easier for staff. NECC already had a Citrix system in place enabling employees to access files from public places or home computers. It is now looking to enhance that facility by creating a CRM system accessible via the web. In addition, it is rolling out a programme providing smart phones to staff to access mobile e-mail that in time will also enable customer-facing employees to have smarter, more interactive communication with their main office base.

Isobel Robertson, NECC deputy chief executive, said: “For years we have offered staff the opportunity to work flexibly but this is the first time we’ve placed a commitment to actively encouraging smarter working practices at the heart of the business. The modern workplace is vastly different from what it used to be and NECC is ahead of the game when it comes to providing its employees with as much support and flexibility as we can.”

Plans are also being introduced to offer term-time contracts and staggered start-times to fit in with the changing pressures of modern living. It also enables NECC to offer greater flexibility to member companies for longer periods of the day.For more information about the Work Wise North East campaign, visit www.workwiseuk.org/northeast.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .