Today I read on the BBC site about the imminent arrival of ubiqitious wireless Internet access and what this will mean for business. In particular they believe that the 19th Century attitiude that all production must take place in a central location is waning.

As I have been a home worker for nearly 2 years I have to say it's true. Broadband internet access and this availailty of application like Citrix, develpment in web technology such as XML have led to methods that allow people to access centrally held data remotely.

The article ends on a less positive note giving the warning the people may not be able to escape the office due thing like 'Push Email'. Yes it can be difficult to remember to turn off the PC and you can find yourself doing more hours as a home worker then you did in an office. So we come to the HR phrase of the decade 'Work-life Balance'.
Yes it is the responsibility of the individual to turn off the work equipment and leave the space assigned to work. It is also the responsibility of managers to epxect and insist that this happens. They should not attempt to contact a person on holiday before the arrival of the mobile phone you couldn't.

So here are some tips if you are being asked to be a home worker:

1 Get a seperate Land Line so if you need to you and turn off the ringer and let the answer phone take the calls.

2 If they want your mobile number get them to supply one so that you can turn it off when your not working .

3 If possible have a seperate PC for work but at least have a different email software for your work and person email.

4 Don't start work till 9Am. Take a lunch break away from your desk. Finish on time most things can wait till the moring.

5 If you have to work extra hours tell your boss he won't know otherwise.

6 Turn off all the work equipment at the end of your work day.

7 Lastly try and meet up with colleagues , in worktime, at least once a month to maintain the links.