“Counteracting the distractions so common
in the cubicle world, telework can increase
productivity by about 40 per cent.”
— Robyn Bews, CED Telework Co-ordinator
and WORKshift Project Manager
work-life balance, not to mention save money on
things like gas, car maintenance and insurance.
The Town of Okotoks and Community Futures
Highwood, a regional economic development agency,
see telework as a way to diversify the regional
economy. They are currently seeking funding for
the first phase of WORKshift Foothills, a program
to develop training and awareness in support of a
possible distributed work centre (DWC) in downtown
Okotoks. Such a centre would provide employees
of companies based in Calgary, or elsewhere, an
opportunity to go to work at a local office instead
of spending hours on the road each day. Employees
would work on a DWC (or company-owned) computer
for a few days each week at shared workstations.
This new concept also provides employees a chance
to enjoy a quick water cooler conversation, helping
address the loneliness factor often associated
with teleworking. Employers benefit by
improved staff morale and cost savings by
sharing in the costs of workstations and
computer equipment.
Helping revolutionize the way we work is
a Calgary-based company called Teletrips
( www.teletrips.com). Founder Scott
Fleming explains, “Teletrips uses software
that tells companies why to telework and
how to do it. Our tracking systems help
companies and regions measure the social,
environmental and economic benefits of
not driving to work.”
With all of its advantages, and even a
way to measure performance, it looks like
telework, the leaner, cleaner, greener way
of working, is poised to gain a sustainable
stronghold in Okotoks. OL
