The Government is championing a policy called the Flexible Working Initiative that could help make businesses considerably more agile. And in the process, it will help tip the balance of the IT department’s work away from thankless firefighting towards activities that affirm its role as key to organisational change and increased efficiency.

As people increasingly seek a better work-life balance, the new legislation puts an obligation on employers to respond to their aspirations – representing a significant cultural shift for many businesses. And, inevitably, for most it will also mean making considerable changes to their IT systems so that staff working remotely can access core applications and data simply, quickly and securely. Research has shown employees with flexible working patterns become better motivated and more productive, while businesses gain the ability to reduce costs, respond faster to market shifts and serve customers more effectively in today’s global, 24/7 environment. For any business, these changes represent an opportunity to benefit staff and company while preparing for the future.