The world of Work has been and still is in themidst of a radical change. Above all requests, flexibility is what appeals mostto the workforce - the idea that you have to work at a fixed place at a fixedtime has started to seem outdated, if not inefficient. According to a recentsurvey by Jobsite, 75% of all 25-34 years old said they would work flexiblehours if they could.
British workers have been waiting for thisopportunity for a long time, and the moment has now arrived. From the 30thJune, any employee has the legal right to ask to change their working patterns,regardless of why they may need to do so.
Only requirement: they must haveworked for the same employer for at least 26 weeks.
What this means is simple to understand but hard tobelieve: no more hours of commuting, no more annoying colleagues, no morerepetitive working hours. For everyone. The move has been welcomed by themajority of people. "Modern businesses know that flexible working boostsproductivity and staff morale” says Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.“Employees who are able to work from home are more productive than theiroffice-bound colleagues because they are less distracted, grateful for theflexibility” these are the recent findings of the London School of Economy.
Flexibility with its allure and advantages is here.Is not that a dream becoming reality?
Perhaps only in theory. Whilst this lifestylesounds ideal, we should consider the other side of the coin. At first, the lackof human contact – to work remotely is very likely to make us feel anoverwhelming sense of solitude. No office environment, less social interaction.
Another big problem is that flexibility might leadus to work even more intensely as well as more hours.
If home and office canand probably will merge together, so could relaxation with work, sofa with officechair, as well as dining table with desk. The result? A stressful and almostStakhanovite lifestyle: the exact opposite of that so perfect work life balancewhich this new law entails, or seems to do so.
Again, in theory the possibility of working everywhereand any time is fantastic.
No doubt. But what if those hours of commute, thoseannoying colleagues, those lunch breaks were funnily enough our distraction andwhat kept us sane? What if we end up working for real everywhere and at any time? Flexibility is great – and here.A workaholic society is not great – yet this danger can lurk here.
