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Smart Working: a new flexible working method

Actiu News.


New global challenges are forcing companies to transform. To modify their structure, their processes, their teams and their own spaces to achieve a more agile and flexible work system. Capable of responding to current trends, taking advantage of the opportunities that technology offers and enhancing the creativity and well-being of the team, a new way of working, known as SmartWorking, has emerged. It is a new way of approaching work that gets rid of inflexibility and predetermined patterns in favour of focusing on what is relevant: ideas, projects and people.

 

 

New methodologies thus emerge that boost flexibility in the interests of creativity and well-being. That seeks to create value and innovation from smart collaboration between people and technologies. Cooperation that helps to reduce operational costs and to reduce the impact on the environment.

They also imply a change in the work culture and seek to provide the necessary framework to generate smart and agile processes that favour the effectiveness of the organisation and its capacity to adapt to change.

SmartWorking focuses on four concepts that take on a new dimension: space, time, technology and people.

Space


Work is no longer limited to the company´s physical limitations, to tables and chairs. Different tasks may require different spaces and different colleagues, even in remote locations. It is the task that is important, not the place where it is carried out. Therefore, the office becomes a collaborative space, where experiences are shared.

 

 

Time


Reorganising and automating work processes allows you to focus on the project, the objectives and on each of the tasks performed, regardless of where and when they are dealt with. Individual tasks become more flexible and the time spent on teamwork can be spent on creativity and innovation.

 

 

Technology


Technology has revolutionised workspaces, creating more efficient ways to collaborate; optimising processes and streamlining projects. Technology is what enables flexibility in terms of work space and time, but it must always be aligned with the structure and operation of the company to be effective.

 

 

People


New work methodologies put people at the heart of them. They place the trust and responsibility for the tasks in the team. The where and when of tasks becomes less important, in favour of creativity and results. Being able to decide on the work formulas that best suit each individual also promotes the freedom and well-being of employees, improving their commitment and satisfaction. A crucial factor at a time when attracting and retaining talent has never been more important.

Shaping these concepts depends on the company and the team. In fact, the SmartWorking philosophy is based on three models: Agile Working, Activity Based Working, Knowledge-Based Working, and Experience-Based Working.

 

 

Agile Working


Agile Working is based on the trust and responsibility of each team member. It results in a journey of cultural transformation that involves giving priority to projects and results, providing autonomy, freedom and flexibility. It empowers everyone to work when, where and how they want, focusing on the client and user and working transversely.

 

 

Activity-Based Working


Activity-Based Working is an evolution of Agile Working, but focuses on the activity being performed. It enhances team collaboration and encourages employees to discover and implement the best way to work through space design. It is no longer the individual but the team that occupies a given area of the office.

 

 

Knowledge-Based Working


This concept incorporates knowledge about people's behaviour, as it collects data through smart systems. This information enables detecting behavioral patterns and adapting the company's work to the clients and employees´ changing needs.

 

 

Experience-Based Working


The best workplaces focus on the experiences they generate within the space. They offer employees choices about where to work, how to work and when to work, as well as mobility and flexibility. Younger generations prefer experience to property. They seek to connect with each other, create community and share experiences. And companies prioritise the well-being of their workers.

 

 

Space provides solutions

In that sense, the workspace has much to contribute to the transformation of companies. The conception and distribution of space itself, as well as the choice of furniture must respond to this need for flexibility and to the specific requirements of each company and each team. The versatility of the furniture enables creating spaces for concentration, socialising, communication or dispersion. There are various furniture solutions that enable the creation of SmartWorking spaces and give employees the power to switch workstations, depending on their daily needs.

Flexible spaces lead to flexible business models and agile processes and enable the incorporation of very different people, ensuring their comfort and well-being. They manage to promote communication and innovation and, in that sense, furniture becomes an ally of productivity and talent.

Avaliable in Actiu.