Ever since the early 1990’s specialists from various areas of the workplace industry
(property, IT, behavioural) have been promising 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 a lot but in reality would appear to have failed to deliver.

Firstly, the idea that a large number of us would effectively have what amounts to online jobs has not occurred. The definition of online jobs in this instance is not standard, 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 computer. While in most cases these people would have communication on a regular basis with management and team members they would successfully carry out their responsibilities via the computer, therefore in essence they will have Online Jobs.

The reality of how working patterns have changed 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 places and a degree of choice and self displayed by the employee in deciding the most fitting location for that work but whatever the developments in technology, broadband availability and changes in management culture the sea change just hasn’t happened.

There are a number of reasons why not. Firstly, while advances in technology have made distant working possible, changes in the nature of work have made it undesirable. Workplace behaviourists have observed that the vast majority of office based workers now reclassified as knowledge workers, produce output ideas, services and strategies. In order for them to work effectively they need communication.

Secondly, the quantum of the effect of flexible working behaviours has been difficult to verify. So while the property costs and benefits are easily considered 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 entire transaction takes place online, there is still a case for co-location and interaction which cannot be proven or discounted.

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