MADRID is considering offering tax breaks to companies which encourage working from home, or remotely, and may include those which give employees the option of flexitime or staggered hours.
The city hall is also looking at ways of making buses cheaper and more user-friendly, and encouraging car-pooling, including possible reduced car-parking fees for those who share vehicles.
At the moment, the sustainable development department is in talks with major national and multi-national firms such as Telefónica, the BBVA bank, transport giant Ferrovial, department store El Corte Inglés, and State-owned financial entity Bankia.
The move is twofold: firstly, to cut traffic, and therefore air pollution, in the city, and secondly, to improve quality of life by allowing workers more free time or family time.
It is working with the More Family Foundation (Fundación Más Familia) on how to encourage companies to provide a better work-life balance.
As well as promoting public transport and car-sharing, the city council wants to encourage the use of bicycles and motorbikes in companies whose employees need to travel as part of their job.
At least three or four meetings between different firms before summer are likely to be on the agenda so they can share ideas – the aim being that those who get ahead in flexible working and sustainable transport will be able to set an example and create healthy 'competition' between corporations in this respect.
Companies have reported to the city council that younger workers are those who would be most keen to embrace working from home and flexitime options.
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