A Dublin-based company is offering a new e-working solution to businesses whose employees have to commute into the city from the surrounding suburbs and towns.
From spring next year, Space2work will launch the first of three initial state-of-the-art e-work centres – or remote offices around Dublin.
Company director, Jonathan Dempsey, said: “The use of these centres would bring not only improved quality of life for employees, but also significant increases in productivity as e-work programmes internationally have proven.”
Speaking to siliconrepublic.com, Dempsey explained that the company would provide basic office facilities, including broadband pipe connected to a computer or a PC, as well as catering facilities and shared areas. These offices can be rented out.
“A very positive sign is that the companies who were very interested in investigating this are in the private sector – banks, telcos and technology companies. It has been done in the US in the public sector but never really done successfully commercially,” he said.
Dempsey acknowledged, however, that it can be difficult for companies to implement eWork programmes.
“It’s a niche thing so far. It’s reasonably early in e-work development and isn’t particularly growing. A lot of the companies have been reasonably cautious. There is a reluctance to move away from traditional ways of working and there is of course the cost aspect above and beyond working from home.”
“The people we would be aiming at would be knowledge workers, people who work on their own initiative, management development and project people who are objective rather than task focused,” he added.
Initially, the three centres will be along the major routes into Dublin. Where they are located will depend on the responses to the surveys.
Space2work is currently conducting a large-scale survey of commuters to help them finalise the facilities that will be made available and the location of the centres.
By Suzanne Byrne
