Work from home, save the planet

Both the Met Office and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have advised businesses to encourage home working, saying this brings ecological as well as economic benefits.

Speaking at the Workwise UK Conference in London on Wednesday, Dr Richard Betts, head of climate impacts at the Met Office, told CNET.co.uk's sister site ZDNet.co.uk that home working could also allow businesses to operate from smaller premises, saving money. "There are financial incentives and compelling corporate social responsibility incentives," said Betts. "Companies are affected by legislation. When legislation comes in regulating carbon emissions, companies encouraging home working will be ahead of the game.

Facts about mail forwarding and telephone answering services

In an always changing business climate, flexibility and speed are vital for success in any business and virtual packages are ideal for those who want to create a professional setting appearance in order to establish a corporate presence. The packages included in these virtual services are meant to manage in an efficient manner your work flow, being very flexible and catering for the needs of all types of businesses. The virtual office covers a wide range of activities and a virtual package usually provides you the use of a business address, telephone answering, mail forwarding and sometimes even the use of private offices when needed.

By Emma Simpson, Business correspondent, BBC News

Earning a bit of additional spending money used to be an optional extra for most people. But the recession has made it a necessity for thousands. And a growing band of people are either boosting their salaries or replacing lost income by working from home.

During the last recession, most people had never heard of the internet. This time round, though, there is a lot more technology available - and it's helping lots of workers survive the downturn.

What is a telephone answering service?

A telephone answering service is a company that answers incoming calls for other businesses. These calls may be transferred to an employee's phone, or a message recorded in their absence. For many small and medium businesses this is a cost effective alternative to hiring a dedicated receptionist.