Telecoms company O2 has launched a pilot flexible working exercise among its employees to assess its effectiveness and feasibility.
Around a quarter of the company's 12,000-person workforce, including those in IT jobs and communication roles at the offices in Slough, worked remotely for one day while the office closed its doors.
It hopes to share its experiences of the day with other businesses as many firms examine the possibility of offering flexible working during the London Olympics later this year.
In addition, the company aimed for the initiative to show improved staff engagement, increased productivity and to provide a better work/life balance for staff.
"We believe a cultural step-change is underway affecting staff and businesses, as work increasingly becomes something we do, rather than a place that we go," commented O2 business director Ben Dowd.
"By sharing experiences from across our business, from business divisions to operations, we hope to encourage more organisations to help their workforce become mobile."
O2 reported that in the past it has saved over £3 million in overheads by offering flexible working.
