Ever since the early 1990’s gurus from various sectors 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 explosion in technology and a new age of Internet Business entrepreneurs has promised much but in fact seems to have failed to deliver.

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

The truth of how working patterns have transformed is however, somewhat different. There is no doubt that there has been an increase in flexible working, by which is meant the capacity to work in a number of different locations and a degree of choice and freedom displayed by the employee in deciding the most correct 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 reasons why not. Firstly, while development in technology have made isolated working possible, changes in the character of work have made it disagreeable. Workplace behaviourists have seen that the vast majority of office based workers now regraded as knowledge workers, produce output concepts, services and strategies. In order for them to operate effectively they need clients.

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

With these two rival factors the growth of flexible working has been sluggish and until workplace industry can exhibit 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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