A leading advocate of flexible working sought to allay the fears of small businesses over Gordon Brown's proposal to force them to introduce such practices.

"SMEs do not need to worry about the Government's plans to extend the flexible working legislation: there is help at hand," said Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, a UK-wide not-for-profit initiative to promote smarter working practices, including flexible working.

"SMEs do have to take a practical systematic approach, devising a plan for the implementation of flexible working in the organisation. Work Wise UK has developed various free online resources to assist organisations wishing to implement smarter working practices.

"Some SMEs will simply stick their heads in the sand and hope it will all go away: it will not. They need to be made aware of the potential benefits of flexible working, and other smarter working practices, not only to their staff, but also to their company.

"Smarter working has been shown time and again to increase staff productivity and reduce costs, as well as improving staff wellbeing and providing a better work-life balance. BT has been pioneering the concept of smarter working for over a decade and has seen productivity improvements of 20 per cent."

Work Wise UK can provide guidance and assistance through its website where a guide to smarter working and an adoption ladder are available.

The organisation also has a UK-wide network of advisers, and offers a framework for organisations to work to, culminating in the award of the Work Wise UK Mark of Excellence.

9:00am Friday 16th May 2008

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