Allowing people to work from home could be the best way for Wimbledon businesses to survive the disruption of the tennis championships, writes Jo Bowring.
More than 30,000 people travelling to the All England Club in Wimbledon Village every day means the roads and public transport reach breaking point.
But by taking advantage of the latest technology and introducing flexible working, companies can ease the strain for everyone.
Nigel Dunn, vice president of multimedia conferencing company Genesys Conferencing, hopes to persuade as many people as possible to use his company's technology to survive the fortnight.
He said: "Wimbledon is an example of what makes London a great place to work and live, which is why so many businesses are attracted to London.
"However, with this success comes a need for companies and Government to recognise that during such times, employees may not be able to travel through congested public transport networks and that these transport networks could fail.
"Developments in networks, telecoms and business software have all made remote working more plausible for almost every industry.
"Technologies such as multimedia conferencing enable staff to remain equally productive and communicative whether or not they are physically in the office or in face-to-face meetings."
Gari Sullivan, founder of pressure group Commuter Voice, regularly works from his home in Southfields.
He said: "I don't think people realise how easy it is to work from home. The biggest worry people have is that employees won't work as hard, but if you have a deadline, you are going to have the same drive.
"You actually work harder, because you have no distractions and you don't do the nine to five you tend to work before breakfast and during the early evening. There needs to be a London-wide drive toward more home working."
During the Atlanta Olympics, commuter traffic reduced by 50 per cent, a third of which was a result of remote working.
According to the Director of Transport for the Atlanta Olympic Games Committee, 60 per cent of these remote workers felt more productive, and 79 per cent more satisfied.
Mr Dunn believes that businesses should already be planning for Wimbledon fortnight, which this year takes place from Monday, June 20 to Sunday, July 3.
And their experiences could be used if London wins the bid to host the 2012 Olympics, which will have a much greater impact on the whole of London.
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