text: Remote Employment has announced the launch of the Remote Worker Awards, to highlight how remote and home working benefits the environment, business productivity and employees’ quality of work life.
  Anyone who works remotely, works from home or wants a home based job is entitled to enter, as well as employers who have home workers or a remote work force are invited to enter.
  The Remote Worker Awards comes at a time when companies across the UK are faced with downsizing their work force. The awards aims to raise awareness for remote and home working as an alternate solution to redundancy and the traditional nine to five office routine.
  The Remote Worker Awards will also celebrate the most innovative home based businesses in The Home Business Award with a collection of valuable prizes perfectly paired with small and large companies that use their home as a base to increase business mobility.
  The Remote Employer Award will honour the winning Remote Employer that demonstrates how remote working and home working has made a beneficial impact on their business.
  Companies entering this award will receive national recognition as a forward thinking company, raise their company profile and shine above their competition. As well as gaining kudos and credibility in their industry, the winning Remote Employer will also receive valuable prizes that will increase the effectiveness of their remote workforce.
  To top it all, The Open University Skills Award will give one deserving winner a brand new career with a £2000 Open University prize and two runners-up great new job prospects with learning vouchers worth £500.
  Anyone looking to re-train or re-skill following redundancy will be able to ease their way back into work. There are thousands of people who need to improve their career prospects and this is a great way to develop professional skills.
  Updating skills, improving knowledge, and studying towards a professional qualification from the huge variety of vocational qualifications and work-focused training courses on offer at The Open University, will undoubtedly give entrants renewed confidence and sharpen their competitive edge.
  The £2000 first prize and two £500 runners up prizes can be used by students to develop themselves in their existing role, or with a complete change of career in mind.
  Paula said: “The Remote Worker Awards will feature the winners in a Remote Worker E-Book to help other companies toimplement a flexible and remote working program.”