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| Work From Home |
The 18 to 25 set has been a tough demographic to get to the polls. Usually deemed as apathetic by politicians, these students are becoming increasingly aware and understanding of politics and are using their network savvy to promote issues that are important to them such as the environment, education costs and student loans.
"If we want issues that effect students to be brought to the forefront ... then students need to get out and vote," said UBC mob co-organizer Mary Leong.
She added targeting youth via the social media sphere was an obvious choice.
We've heard a lot about what our children and grandchildren will do in the future and the Internet is certainly providing options for them that us old guys and gals never saw until a few years ago. Our offspring will figure it out. Don't worry!
Also in this past week, a related Internet story from "WORKshift" Calgary.
Calgary Economic Development, in collaboration with the Telework Research Network, released "WORKshift Canada: the bottom line on telework."
The report describes the economic and environmental aspects of telecommuting and suggests companies, communities and employees could collectively save $53 billion in Canada.
There are various calculations in the report, but one of the most important is that if commuters could work from home or community offices two days per week, a mass of benefit could be realized that all touch on many of the pressing issues we discuss on a daily basis.
One of those issues is traffic. Transportation is one of the major causes of CO2 emissions. It is also the cause of many middle finger emissions if you are driving the Mary Hill By-pass, Lions Gate Bridge, George Massey Tunnel or many other choke points throughout Metro Vancouver on your daily commute.
Telework has been an option for a while now but the major obstacle to its success, and an ease to our woes, has always been employer mistrust.
Should employment standard legislation include mandates for telework options?
Us humans, as always, will adapt to technological solutions as they present themselves. In the case of transportation and traffic, there is no longer the need to broadly suggest that a new housing unit will add 2.2 cars to our local roads.
Technology is affording new opportunity and it is time for employees and employers to negotiate employment contracts that save money for both, save infrastructure and health costs, and save peace of mind and quality of life for employees who want to spend more time at home with family and still be productive workers.
Telework in Europe has been well ahead of the curve. Wireless network build out there has supported diverse work place options for years.
The spiraling upward reality of software development, network connectivity, innovative hardware production and user uptake will ensure telework will be a mainstream practice soon and we should all be hopeful and eventually thankful for that.
