The Editor, Sir:

The article, 'Barely surviving middle-income professionals feel the pinch' (Gleaner, January 20), highlighted a problem that lends an opportunity for creative solutions with a public-private partnership.

Young professionals and the public sector are not the only stakeholders in this issue of lack of affordable housing. Employers will also suffer when their talent is forced to relocate to another area or worse, migrate overseas. It is here that HR professionals can have an impact, by suggesting and pursuing alternative work schedules and conditions.

Technologically sophisticated

As companies become more technologically sophisticated, the need for physical presence of some workers becomes less; thus, the growth in work-from-home capabilities (remote access) and compressed work weeks. The pursuit of such work arrangements can alleviate the housing strain by having employees who have jobs that do not require physical presence at the workplace to work remotely. As a result, employees can live further away in less expensive areas from their place of employment and at the same time, be productive.

I see this as an opportunity for the public and private sectors to put on their thinking caps and to develop a workable solution to an issue that affects both parties.

I am, etc.,

MICHELE E. JOHNSON

johnson_michele83@hotmail.com

Raleigh, NC

Via Go-Jamaica