Techno fear or techno joy?
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Do you struggle to keep up at work, or do you feel like the office hero? New research shows technology could help you get ahead whoever you are. A study by Standard Life Bank has defined two emerging types of workers. One set - coined the 'vomiting executives' - are generally older professionals struggling to adapt to modern working conditions. 'Bullet-proof professionals', meanwhile, suffer no such constraints. They aim to throw off the shackles of the traditional working hierarchy and will switch jobs regularly to speed up career progression. The report suggests that both sets of workers - and owner-managers - could benefit from technological advancements, by working from home or while on the move. Our journalists took part in a web chat with future trends expert Ashley Ramsay on the subject, a transcript of which follows.
Q: Who or what do you think is responsible for workplace changes like the rise of 'vomiting executives'?
Ramsay: Our report has uncovered changing work and social patterns in the UK, which appears to be driven by a more demanding work force and the fast pace of changing technology. This means that we are seeing a group of executives usually aged 45+ who are finding it very difficult to cope with this fast change. For a number of reasons - they are used to working in command structures which are becoming less relevant in today's workplace and they have a limited understanding of how to use technology successfully.
Q: I think I show a lot of symptoms of the vomiting executive. I'm only 20 but feel that unless I'm working myself to the bone I'll never get ahead in business. Do you have any tips on the best working methods?
R: Interestingly we are seeing many younger people embracing different types of working patterns such as 'Binge time careerism' - where they will work very hard for a specified period of time and then take a break for the same amount of time again to recharge the batteries. Our research shows that young professionals recognise the importance of the quality of their work over the need to be in the office constantly. It is more about what you do, rather than clocking up the hours. In today's 'connect economy' many people are choosing to let technology work for them in such a way that they can achieve the balance between work and social activities that they seek.
Q: Did the study take into account the self-employed (business owners) - what were the findings?
R: The study unveiled two distinct groups - those who are self-employed and those who choose to work for an organisation. If you are self-employed and choose to 'demute' (work outside the office), an appropriate working environment is crucial. For example, you may wish to convert a room in your home into an office or indeed establish a home office in your garden. Either way you will need to fund this and we have found that 'freestylers' are comfortable in drawing down equity from their property to fund their office improvements.
Q: How key is the employer's buy in to allow you to work from home more?
R: Many employers acknowledge the need to offer flexible working practices to employees. We are seeing more and more organisations offer career breaks, sabbaticals, flexible benefits as part of the remuneration package and technology solutions to allow remote working. We expect employees to demand this of their employers in the future - in fact; this provision could be pivotal for many when choosing to work for a company.
Q: How will the employers be able to check up on their employees?
R: The 'freestyle' generation has a fierce pride in their professionalism. This is a group of people across a wide range of industries consider themselves self-managed. Surely forward thinking employers should be more concerned about the quality of work produced than feeling the need to police their every move. It is an interesting debate.
Q: What are the benefits of working from home - are people as productive as at work?
R: Our research shows that many people claim to be far more productive when they are able to work flexibly. There are already 8m full time home workers in the UK today. And another 2m work from home at least one day a week. By the year 2020 we predict this figure will rise to over 12m. This appears to be a resounding endorsement of working from home. Some people enjoy the flexibility of being near their family or working within their local community rather than spending all their time travelling to and working in an office.
Q: Do you think the ever-increasing petrol prices; congestion charges and parking issues will have a major impact (from someone who has to drive into London and would much rather work from home)?
R: There are a lot of influences in peoples' decision to work from home. We can't forget that in addition to commuting time there are also financial implications of working outside the home. Many of our customers are choosing to invest in facilities within their home, which allow them to work remotely, avoiding such things as the costs associated with commuting.
Q: How much will it cost me to create a home office? What about if you don't have the space to work at home- my wife goes mad when I work on the kitchen table as it is!
R: The costs can vary depending on the type of home office you would like. Typically, you might expect to spend between £5,000 - £10,000 for a fully equipped secure home office. There are many companies, which offer this type of service.Think carefully about how you intend to fund a project like this. Some of our customers have used their cash reserve (equity) to build a home office or conservatory - no more working at the kitchen table!
Q: Do certain industries encourage home-working more than others?
R: Yes. We are already seeing a number of industries successfully embracing the benefits of remote working and collaboration with colleagues through technology rather than physical office space. For example, think of the rising marketing and creative communities in Cornwall, the bio-tech industry in Cambridge and software and gaming in the Scottish Glens. These are all examples of industries that are making the most of flexible working patterns.
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