November 2nd, 2009 by Bruce

Ever since the early 1990’s specialists from various areas of the workplace industry
(property, IT, behavioural) have been tantalizing us with the new world where most of us Work From Home. This new world order based on the growth in technology and a new generation of Internet Business entrepreneurs has promised lots but in reality would seem to have failed to deliver.

Firstly, the idea that a large number of us would in fact have what amounts to online jobs has not taken place. The definition of online jobs in this instance is not typical, the model developed by workplace experts would see the vast majority of corporate employees employed to work from home, connection to the office would be via their desktop. While in most cases these people would have dealings on a regular basis with management and team members they would in actual fact carry out their everyday jobs via the computer, therefore in essence they will have Online Jobs.

The reality of how working patterns have distorted is however, somewhat different. There is no doubt that there has been a rise in flexible working, by which is meant the capacity to work in a number of different places and a degree of choice and independence displayed by the employee in selecting the most right location for that work but whatever the developments in technology, broadband availability and changes in management traditions the sea change just hasn’t happened.

There are a number of explanations why not. Firstly, while development in technology have made remote working possible, changes in the nature of work have made it disagreeable. Workplace behaviourists have seen that the vast majority of office based workers now renamed as knowledge workers, produce output notions, services and strategies. In order for them to work effectively they need contact.

Secondly, the quantum of the effect of flexible working behaviours has been impractical to verify. So while the property costs and benefits are easily calculated the real benefits in terms of the contribution to core business of the organisation can not be evaluated, even in the case of an Internet Business, where the entire transaction takes place online, there is still a case for co-location and relations which cannot be proven or discounted.

With these two competing factors the growth of flexible working has been unhurried and until workplace industry can show the benefits of productivity or make a solid case for no human contact then it is unlikely we will see the promised sea change in working patterns and behaviours.

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