Telework, Mobility, and No-Name Programs

A recent study, “Top Trends in Alternative Workplace Strategies,” conducted by New Ways of Working, makes some interesting points about the status of workplace mobility programs in the private sector. One point is that the most common name for these programs is “no name.” When asked about how they refer to their mobility program, many of the people in the study responded that this is “just the way we work,” and that it is not a special program or cleverly named initiative. The study proposes that workplace mobility is moving into a “sustainment” phase, where the emphasis is not on setting up Alternative Workplace Strategy (AWS) programs, but on removing cultural and organizational barriers that may inhibit full adoption. The move, they suggest, is from a cost reduction focus to a cultural and organizational change focus.

Another interesting point in the study is that a number of organizations described the responsibility for leading the move to mobility as shared among Real Estate, Human Resources, and Information Technology departments. This is an encouraging development as well, demonstrating that mobility is more than just an HR policy or a way to reduce space costs or a method for managing new technologies. It takes a broader view of how we work and how we can best support productivity, collaboration, and focus on the organization’s mission. Taken together, these points reinforce the “beyond telework” concept that is increasingly being embraced by organizations.

You can find a summary of the finding at the New Ways of Working website: http://www.newwow.net