Flexible working and mobile working have been buzz terms in British business for a few years now. For many businesses, the idea that they just operate from a single office or site is long gone. They need to be able to work flexibly and do business anywhere, to meet the needs of their customers and compete in their market.

Interestingly, the first sparks of mobile working came from office managers, facilities management experts and estate developers under pressure to make the most of office space. Seeing the benefits that new technology could bring, HR departments then took up the baton of developing flexible and mobile working practices.

Yet what is now apparent is that mobile working is no longer the preserve of larger organisations with high levels of resource and separate HR departments. With the growth in broadband and wireless technology coupled with devices readily available off the shelf, the majority of the 4.3m small and medium-sized businesses in the UK can now experience the same benefits as the leaders in their industry.

Some 86% of UK SMEs see technology as being pivotal to their future success. So, while in theory this represents a win-win situation for businesses and their employees, in many cases the desire to work on the move is not backed up by an understanding of how to do it or what technology to choose.

As a simple guide, there are three steps to follow; understand why you need to work flexibly, build the right foundations and culture, and then implement the most appropriate technology. Small businesses have to justify every penny spent, so it’s vital that investment in technology should be backed up with a clear rationale and objective of what they want to achieve.

An understanding of the work-styles and needs of staff, and an assessment of the dynamics of your industry sector should be the starting point. What type of roles do workers play? How much time do they spend away from the office and where? How can you help them to be more productive? If you understand these issues you will be in control of the technology and ultimately the costs - after all, no business is the same and no one solution fits all.

If a genuine need for mobile working is identified, the next stage is to ensure that the right culture is in place. Most businesses will need to recognise that work is no longer somewhere you go, but something you do, and that may not be the traditional 9am to 5pm. Some businesses may choose to put a clear policy in place to guide staff on this new way of working. Furthermore, there is little point in simply kitting out staff with new technology without first assessing what staff need and providing adequate training and support. Once the need for cultural change has been recognised, choosing the right technology comes next.

For many small businesses, this can be incredibly confusing as there is so much out there on the market. Get it right and your business can flourish, get it wrong and you simply will not benefit. At a basic level, a secure broadband network in the office or in workers’ home-offices is a pre-requisite. Mobile phones and laptops for certain workers are also likely to be important.

For staff wanting to be more mobile and a business that wants to keep costs down, new fixed-mobile convergence and mobile Voice over IP (VoIP) services such as BT Fusion, which route calls over broadband networks to offer cheaper calls, should be considered. Ensuring they have a flexible package is in place can also help businesses optimise their communications spend more simply for both voice and data.

Individual mobile usage can vary monthly, so the ability to share inclusive minutes with colleagues across the business can ensure money isn’t wasted on unused minutes. For those staff likely to be away from the office for long periods, the latest smartphones and PDAs, such as BT Office Anywhere, offer the functionality of a PC in a device small enough to fit in the pocket.

They take advantage of the growing number of public and private Wi-Fi networks to offer high-speed access to the information businesses need as well as great value calls. While each small business is different, applying this simple, three-stage process to mobile working means that whether your staff are in the office, on the move or at home, they can be liberated to do business anywhere.

By Charlotte Anderson General Manager, Mobility, BT Business