News Article

Plans to make the North East the smartest working region in the UK have taken a leap forward thanks to a cash boost from One North East.

The Regional Development Agency will support the flagship Work Wise North East campaign, which encourages employers and employees to adopt innovative working practices, with £154,000 of funding over the next two years.

The cash will be used to appoint a regional Work Wise leader who will motivate regional employers to adopt and enhance their smarter working practices, and will also help to raise the visibility of the campaign – ultimately helping to drive economic growth, boosting productivity and competitiveness.
 
Simon Roberson, chairman of Work Wise North East and regional manager of BT said: “The Work Wise campaign has gone from strength to strength over the past 18 months, resulting in many employers adopting smarter working practices. This would not have been possible without the support of all our partners.

“However, the overwhelming success of the campaign has meant that we have not been able to follow through new opportunities with employers as we have not had a dedicated resource and our partners’ time has been limited.

“Thanks to One North East, we will now be able to appoint a full-time resource to ensure that workers and employers are getting the advice and guidance they need to help them work smarter – this in turn will improve their businesses and will make a real impact on people's working lives.

“The ultimate aim is to transform working practices for the benefit of people who are unable to work nine-to-five, five-days-a-week including working mums, carers, disabled and disadvantaged people.

“We will be encouraging regional employers to sign up to the Work Wise Standard and a wider network of Work Wise accredited business advisers will be recruited, with the support of Business Link North East and independent consultants in relevant fields such as HR, ICT and law” added Mr Roberson.

Margaret Fay, One North East chairman said: “To achieve North East England’s ambitious economic growth targets, the region has to continue developing more innovative working practices.

“Helping employers explore new ways of offering flexible working is not only important in helping to attract and keep highly-skilled people in the North East, enabling more people to play their part in the economy and reducing the impact of congestion on the environment but also in maximising competitiveness and productivity during the global slowdown we’re facing at the moment.
“We’re very pleased to be supporting Work Wise North East in the next phase of the campaign”

Work Wise North East aims to consign nine-to-five, five-days-a-week working to history and aims to promote smarter working practices, such as flexible working, mobile working, remote working and working from home.  It is based on the national Work Wise UK imitative, a major five-year programme which has broad government, business and union support.

ENDS

Media contact: 

Sheila Chapman, sheilachapman PR on 07732 827 486

email  scpr@btopenworld.com