HOME IS WHERE THE WORK IS


enterprise and entrepreneurialism. The figures on self-employment


reflect the explosion in


business formation since the end of the deep 2008-9 recession. According to StartUp Britain, the number of businesses launched last year hit an all-time record of more than 500,000. And the running total so far this year is already in excess of 274,000. Many of these are laptop entrepreneurs –


taking advantage of the opportunities opened by electronic communication and the internet to launch micro-businesses. Many start off with salaries a fraction of those they enjoyed in previous jobs with larger companies. And, of course, business startups have a very high attrition rate: more than two-thirds will fall away within two years. Those that make the most of marketing


opportunities and social media can reach a far wider market than setting up as a village shop or in a city-centre office. Micro-businesses, rather than formally hiring staff, engage in informal information and service exchange, creating a complex latticework of business activity. Their


creativity, coupled with adaptability, flexibility and the


ability via the internet to reach


customers at home and overseas is emerging as another feature of social change. John Cooke, who has recently moved from


Edinburgh to Aberdeen, has worked from home for four years as chief executive of a telecoms trade organisation. ‘Without a decent broadband connection I couldn’t do the job I do,’ he says. ‘Internet connectivity for rural Aberdeenshire


is not great, and it’s problematic for large areas of rural Scotland. You really do need digital connectivity and physical transport links to work with clients and stakeholders. ‘The big plus of working from home is that


you don’t have to commute, so you’re not so tired and you save time. I’m also better able to handle the “wet towel, darkened room” projects, where you need as few interruptions as possible. There’s none of the distractions of being in a big open-plan office. ‘Home working also helps me cope better with looming deadlines. You can work into


Above: New technology and fast broadband have opened the way for more people to work at home.


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