In what could be the largest mass absence from work for a generation, an estimated five million people will not be going to work on Thursday, 15th May. None of them will be calling sickies, skiving or making excuses. In fact, their bosses may even be joining them and taking work home for the day, on National Work from Home Day.

National Work from Home Day is aimed at highlighting smarter working practices by encouraging companies to give employees a day at home. Working at home that is, in order to trial better working practises such as flexible working, remote working, mobile working and working from home; all promoting a work-life balance.

The traditional 'office' is heading for a workplace revolution. Century-old established, outdated working cultures and traditions need to break down. They are wasteful in terms of resources and time, damaging in terms of the environment and global warming, unhealthy in terms of worker wellbeing, and frustrating in terms of traffic congestion and public transport overcrowding.

Adopting a modern day approach to our working lives will increase business productivity and competitiveness, reduce transport congestion and pollution, improve health by reducing stress, assist disadvantaged groups and harmonise our work and family commitments. Of course, remote working also gives employers the added advantage of recruiting talented individuals from anywhere in the country instead of just around their local office.

Research shows that the structure of the labour market is going to be reshaped dramatically over the four years, with remote working expected to almost double. There are already around 3.1 million people working from home in the UK and this is expected to double by 2012! The recent emergence of 'virtual jobs' and 'virtual communities' is changing the way companies attract and retain skilled employees.

Remote Employment, a web service dedicated to flexible and home based recruitment, invites companies across the UK to support National Work from Home, by giving their employees the opportunity to work flexible hours or work from home. Founder and Managing Director, Ken Sheridan believes a flexible employment solution benefits business, employees, and the country as a whole.

Sheridan advocates that the notion of nine to five might gradually vanish, with staff working ad-hoc hours around their home commitments. Offices will probably disappear and instead mini business centres could spring up near satellite

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