Darina Loakman.com

Makes a change from join the Navy and see the world doesn’t it !!. Well in Australia at the moment joining the navy and working from home is a real possibility.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald NAVY chiefs battling a staffing crisis have taken the unprecedented step of ordering a two-month shutdown over Christmas, and have told personnel with child-care problems that they can work from home.

Navy chiefs say the drastic measures are part of a plan to combat recruitment problems by creating a more family-friendly environment

Also apparently also some large child care facility in Australia collapsed and a lot of Navy personnel depends on this company for their childcare, so all local commanders have also been ordered to allow personnel affected by this crisis more flexible working arrangements - and to work from home if necessary - until they have found alternative care.

I have to say fair play to them for reacting this way. I wonder are there any large or even small to medium organizations here that could introduce flexible working and work from home policies that might help them over a difficult period, rather than just letting people go? ILP are certainly being innovative by offering people upto €30,000 to take a couple of years off, but I think if other companies wanted to do something not quite as drastic, they could consider more flexible working, and home-based working for their employees.

What do you think? Do you have any examples where this is being done?