Hot-deskingWhen workers only need a desk occasionally, some employers have rationalised desk space by ‘hot-desking’, i.e., allocating a workstation only when you are actually in the office. This is a way of utilising space and freeing established boundaries. Some employees find hot-desking difficult because they do not have their own desk space or territory, but others thrive on it. Tidiness and cleanliness must be ensured and you need be highly organised because items needed for work have to be brought in on each occasion. back to top HomeworkingOne of the easiest ways to free up office space and save on commuting time and costs is homeworking. This was once a low-pay alternative for people who could not go to work, but some employers now equip staff to work from home most of the time, apart from meetings, supervision and training. Working from home requires discipline because of the inevitable distractions, as well as trust on the part of your employer. Find more information at Homeworking. back to top Mobile workingMobile working is a catch-all phrase indicating that ‘work’ is no longer defined in terms of time and space but can happen anywhere and at any time with the use of technology. For example, travel time used not to be treated as work time as it was unproductive. Now, with the arrival of laptops and sophisticated mobile phones and ‘blackberries’, travel time is no longer down time. Successful mobile working is 100% dependent on new technology, so it is essential that the employing organisation can continue to invest in technology to support mobile working for its staff, and that the staff are well trained. For some organisations, mobile working is highly profitable, but for others, the investment in technology cannot be sustained. Mobile workers are heavily dependent on their laptop and mobile phone and often spend periods away from home. If you consider this option, you should be comfortable with travel and constantly changing surroundings. For some this is an attraction, while others feel ‘rootless’ without a specific workbase and the physical presence of colleagues. Your work is always with you. back to top TeleworkingTeleworking is similar to home working. Its essential feature is the use of communications technology to deliver work carried out away from the employer’s premises or other colleagues. It is used by people who work full time or part time at home or divide their time between home and office, and by mobile workers who use their home as an administrative base. Some teleworkers may be self-employed. back to top Virtual teamworkLike any conventional team, a virtual team consists of a group of people who interact to complete interdependent tasks and work towards a common goal. But instead of working in the same office, the team members work in different places, often at home, and in different time zones. Copywriters, editors, illustrators and graphic designers might collaborate on a book, for example, exchanging specifications, drafts, samples and comments without ever meeting their co-workers face to face. Virtual team working has become possible through advances in communication technologies. Members of the virtual team mainly interact electronically by email, messaging and voice-over technologies. They may also communicate by telephone, teleconference and, to a lesser extent, through video conferencing.
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