WOLLONGONG ADVERTISER
Claudia Perry-Beltrame hopes to tap into Illawarra’s large commuter population – one of the biggest in the nation – to gauge attitudes to telework.
The Cordeaux Heights resident and ex-commuter is encouraging Illawarra residents who travel more than 25 minutes to work one way, by any means of transport, to take part in the Illawarra Commuter Survey.
Telework involves either working at home or closer to home in a telework centre or satellite office. Telework centres are operating in Wollongong (Corner Table) and Corrimal (Clever Centre).
For five years in the 1990s, Ms Perry-Beltrame commuted to Sydney by train, leaving at 6.45am and returning after 7pm, meaning she had little time for her two young sons and husband.
Now she runs her own business, Cultural Inspirations, working as a change manager specialising in workplace culture.
‘‘The more I’ve been working in this area, the more I’ve started to think there could be some change barriers to telework for people and organisations,’’ she said.
Some employers were not keen on telework despite the health, social and economic benefits.
The survey was designed to find out Illawarra commuters’ perceptions of the barriers to telework and the positive benefits.
Ms Perry-Beltrame hoped 400 people would take part and the findings would assist employers.
The results will be made public in Telework Week (November 18 to 22) and will be shared with RDA Illawarra for use in their Illawarra Digital Strategy.
The survey, at the website culturalinspirations.com.au, takes about 15 minutes and closes on September 30.
Survey, information: culturalinspirations.com.au, call 0439 457 240 or email claudia@culturalinspirations.com.au
