Mobile employees revolutionise work

Organisational structures are being redefined: modern technology is making it possible to use time as well as space in the office in new and creative ways. No longer is it necessary for an individual to occupy a particular place from nine to five, five days a week. Equipped with a modem, a mobile phone, and a personal computer, people can choose when, as well as where, to work.

Only 50 per cent of the working population in North America, Northern Europe and Japan work in offices. Prior to the 1990s, such a concept would have met with disbelief from organisations still applying the Taylorism management principles of the early 20th century. "Taylorism" was introduced in the late 19th century and advocated a management thinking that treated workers as units of production, according to Dr Francis Duffy, author of The New Office. Supervision was a key feature of the office run on Taylor principles. It was thought that people on their own could not be trusted, that without the presence of a watchful eye, they might revert to non-machine-like behaviour.

"Intelligence and inventiveness were not expected from ordinary workers. Punctuality and synchroncity were, because with the information technology of the time - the typewriter and the telephone - it was absolutely essential for all the clerks to be assembled together in one place at one time in order to get work done," he writes.

Technology and the emergence of the mobile worker has challenged this: instead of being a human resources nightmare, mobile working brings many benefits. All of computer company Hewlett Packard's mobile workers are offered the opportunity to work from their homes. This proves very attractive to some employees. Technology is the key, enabling secure access from remote locations to HP's internal systems so that instead of coming into the office first thing in the morning, HP's teleworkers can log on from home without battling the traffic. This has enabled employees to make lifestyle choices - for example, enabling many to buy houses quite a distance from the office, says Martin Murphy, general manager of HP Ireland.

"The core of the policy is that mobile workers do not have a specific desk in the office. What enables HP to implement this policy is our mechanism of measuring and monitoring staff which is based around agreed specific objectives. Once a set of well-defined objectives are agreed with an employee, you don't need to be constantly watching and monitoring that person as long as the objectives are met and work is done. Seniority or longevity is not a guarantee of reward in HP: rewards are based on performance."

Human resources manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Annmarie Rogers, is an advocator of new office environments. "Hot desks and open plan areas facilitate the transfer of knowledge within the organisation. It helps the learning process if you have graduates sitting next to more experienced staff. They can observe the work practices and can observe how someone with more experience interacts with clients."

In an office environment, gaining more efficiency means driving down occupancy costs - the rent, taxes, utilities, costs of fitting out and the annual costs of managing office space and keeping it secure. In many administrative and service organisations, these costs come second only to the cost of labour and well ahead of the costs of information technology. Greater effectiveness in the office means using the space in ways that improve the quality of the work being done there or add value to business performance.

New ideas about organisation are being actively explored and innovation in design of office space is happening as result of this. A workforce made up of twentysomethings, and the nature of the Internet are leading to far fewer structured hours and modes of work. Office design reflects this to a certain extent and Irish architects are being given more leeway for creativity in new corporate projects.

WITH some 1,600 employees between PwC's two Dublin offices, this new approach also serves a more basic social function, allowing employees to interact with each other, as they can be sitting next to different individuals on a regular basis.

While many employees at Hewlett Packard work remotely in a worldwide "virtual office", they are still very much a part of HP, says Martin Murphy. "Their work is monitored, results measured and rewards in the form of remuneration and promotion allocated on the results of their efforts."

He said that all managers are measured on ensuring that their employees feel part of the HP team. Some organise regular social events, off-site meetings or other activities at regular intervals to ensure that people who may not meet for weeks at a time get together.