Why smart working is not just about technology

source: freepik.com

According to global research and advisory firm, Forrester Research, the average organisation could benefit to the tune of £1,200 per user per year by adopting an effective smart working strategy.

The end result of seizing the opportunities digital technology offers is a way of working that is based on outcomes rather than input, that offers staff greater autonomy, and moves away from traditional notions of the time and place where work should be done, nor does it place the same emphasis on physical resources — whether that be office space, a meeting room or a desk.

The mistake which many organisations make is to assume that smart working is simply a technical matter, and can be embraced by introducing the right IT and property solutions, i.e. equipping all members of staff with a tablet and introducing hot-desking.

Change the culture

The truth is that genuine smart working is as much about the culture of an organisation as it is about the technical aspects. The technology needs to be in place, yes, but it needs to work within a framework in which results are seen as being far more important than how they are achieved. This is an approach which requires a major shift from the older technique of micro-managing, to allowing members of the team to use their initiative and judgement by agreeing and reviewing targets rather than hours clocked on to the job.

Establish protocols

For smart working to proceed smoothly certain protocols have to be established. From employees letting others know when and where they are working, to documents being stored centrally for ease of electronic access, and establishing a structure and format for virtual meetings. The fact of the matter is that protocols of this kind will emerge organically as long as the smart working ethos is embraced at all levels of an organisation and has the technological underpinning necessary to make it work.

Shift the geography

Once the culture of a workplace has begun to change, then its geography can shift. In practical terms, this means that employees have more choice over when and where they work. This flexibility is driven by the fact that digital technologies mean that the whole of a network can be connected to become a virtual office. The work space becomes much less territorial, with each person’s ‘domain’ consisting of the work they do and the inputs they create, rather than a particular desk. As much as traditional office space has to be allocated (for face to face meetings with clients, for example), it will be done so on the basis of practicality, rather than the identity of the individual involved. In short, nobody ‘owns’ any particular part of the office, because the whole of the office and the virtual network supporting it is part of a collaborative venture.

Transform your recruitment

The realisation of the virtual office will open up your organisation to being able to recruit the best talent from anywhere, without requiring new team members to uproot and move. This also frees you from the battle of recruiting in a local hot spot and significantly widens your talent pool.