|
|
|
|
|
|
News
David Woods , 08 Feb 2012
O2 today has launched the biggest flexible working initiative of its kind with a quarter of its UK workforce operating remotely for the day as the doors of its Slough base are shut and lights turned off.
The pilot aims to "push the boundaries" of what is possible through flexible working and will underpin O2's contingency plans to manage expected travel disruption and delays during the summer's Olympics games.
Today 3,000 employees will need access to the necessary technology tools, services and support to enable them to work completely remotely.
With one third of the UK's businesses expected to encourage their staff to work flexibly this summer, O2 will share learnings from the pilot with other organisations, to support them in their plans for managing the impact of a range of events during the summer months.
Flexible working has become an increasingly important aspect of British business culture, with almost half (47%) of UK employees citing it as their most important employment benefit.
O2's flexible working aims to send a clear signal to O2's employees, business customers and other UK organisations on the advantages of working flexibly. These range from improved staff engagement and boosted productivity, to better work/life balance for employees.
Ann Pickering, director of HR at O2 (pictured), said: "We live in such a connected world today that it's far easier for employees to remain in touch, no matter where they happen to be. There are huge benefits to be gained in enabling your workforce to be mobile. Not only does it foster trust between organisations and employees, but allowing staff to shape their own working environment gives them back one of their most valuable resources - time. It also allows companies to overcome geographical boundaries and open new doors in terms of recruiting the best talent. So whether it's a mum that needs to be at home for the school run or an employee that working remotely three days and travels to the office for two, with the right tools, implementing flexible working policies have the potential to transform the way we do business."
For companies, it is hoped that the pilot will also showcase the wider economic business case for flexible working in helping to drive efficiency, productivity and innovation. O2 has previously saved over £3 million in overheads through such measures.
The company will evaluate reductions to electricity usage, CO2 emissions and travel time as employees swap their usual journey to work in favour of working from a remote location.
These learnings will be applied in line with the company's three year sustainability plan, in which O2 pledges to help over 125,000 business employees work flexibly, and collectively save over 500,000 miles of travel and over 160,000 thousand tonnes of carbon emissions.
O2 business director, Ben Dowd, added: "We believe a cultural step-change is underway affecting staff and businesses, as work increasingly becomes something we do, rather than a place that we go. Today's office-wide flexible working initiative is an opportunity for us to take the next step on our flexible working journey and tangibly demonstrate the opportunity and potential available to British businesses today.
"We practice what we preach, and by asking O2 employees to work together as a team to test the company's flexible working practices for themselves, we want to show that there are no limits - no matter how big or small your business is. By sharing experiences from across our business, from business divisions to operations, we hope to encourage more organisations to help their workforce become mobile. "
The initiative marks the latest phase in O2's flexible working journey, following in the footsteps of previous efforts. These include O2's Tomorrow's Workspace initiative, which saw the business consolidate its operations into a single campus in Slough. By enabling the workforce to be more mobile, O2 achieved a 53 per cent reduction in its carbon footprint and despite having the same number of people HQ is now operating with 550 fewer desks.
While more than a third (39%) of businesses say that allowing staff to work flexible hours makes their workforce more productive, and 43 per cent believe that it helps to retain employees, existing policies are often outdated and ineffective. More than three quarters of organisations are hindering the sharing of best practice by preventing staff from working flexibly across teams, while 16% still have no flexible working policy at all.
9 comments on this article |
Penny Ferguson 08 Feb 2012
I think this is a real leadership initiative. Giving something to employees that really benefits them at the same time as making them more effective. The only risk is that some individuals may feel isolated with the lack of actual human contact. I am sure that, having the courage to go this far, O2 will find a way to deal with that as well.
Zoe Hendricks 08 Feb 2012
An excellent initiative and example of the UK private sector realising the true potential of flexible working. Hopefully encouraging many more organisations to adopt flexible working practices and recognise the efficiency it can bring to business. It might be the 'shot in the arm' needed by our economy. @zoelhendricks , Work Clever UK, Flexible Recruitment Specialists
Andrew Marunchak 08 Feb 2012
I applaud O2 for being brave enough to follow through with this experiment, it'll be interesting to see what the results are. Given that these employees are already familiar with the affordances provided by a suitable workspace, what will happen when they work from the couch, slouched over the coffee table? Will those just starting their professional careers have the same devotion to their work as those for whom the shirt and tie affair is standard practice? Time will tell - and may damn us all (or set us free)!
Jennifer Bryan 08 Feb 2012
This is a great example of what can be achieved when organisations start to break down the barriers and go outside the box of traditional working. The big questions for me is what was the catalyst and drive for this to happen in the first place? What have the employee reactions been to the initiative thus far? Did O2 do this alone or did they have help setting it all up? And finally, what is next?
Bryn Williams 08 Feb 2012
Congratulations to Ann and the rest of Telefonica O2 on doing this (also good practice for future snow/rail disruption). Here's hoping they weren't all camped in Slough or Paddington Starbucks. Seriously, we've seen O2 push ahead (of Vodafone and EE) on the Employer Brand side from senior level TMC candidates, so we're inclined to believe this is more than spin. Bryn Williams Director www.londonandcambridge.com
Peter Rimmer 09 Feb 2012
Remote means isolation, and isolation will lead to increased psychosocial risks. So, the O2 initiative comes with a health warning. An award winning film at the international documentary film festival DOK Leipzig in October 2011, ‘Work Hard Play Hard’, explores modern theories of work organisation and management, and raises the wider issues of the place of the individual in a changing world of work. The film documents the physical, psychological and economic consequences where personal space is denied in the relentless pursuit of maximum productivity at the expense of the wellbeing of the workforce. Inspired by a series of suicides at Renault in France, and similar incidents elsewhere in Europe, it shows how people felt lonely, isolated and afraid. The race for profits, pressure of targets and deadlines, as well as ‘excessive individualisation’ exacerbated the situation at Renault; colleagues did not talk to each other and convivial areas were closed, including places to eat, leading to greater isolation of workers within the company. Poor mental health has overtaken musculoskeletal diseases as the main cause of long-term absence in non-manual workers. The nature and forms of organisational changes in UK workplaces are increasingly characterised by high job insecurity, long working hours, inflexible work contracts, and a changing psychological contract between employer and employee. Annual restructuring, cost reduction programmes, ‘culture change’ programmes, redundancies and outsourcing have slowly become standard in companies. Insecurity leads to a decline in mutual loyalty between employees and employers. It leads to decrease in motivation and deterioration of workers’ wellbeing. Quality of work and dignity are pre-requisites of a good psychosocial environment. Working together requires leadership from competent and effective managers, the involvement and participation of the workforce, and the development of a culture based on the positive rather than the negative. Please be careful with your workforce!
Bozena Benton 15 Feb 2012
A great initiative especially on such a wide scale especially for those wanting to work remotely but it has to be remembered that remote working will not suit everyone. I'm not sure if those working remotely worked from home or whether `hubs' or other offices were available. Some people perform best when in a social setting (as has been said before) or may be insufficiently disciplined to work alone being easily distracted with other things and people. It requires different management skills to manage outcomes rather than inputs. Home-working may also not suit those living in a domestic violence environment where work can act as a respite. Flexible working comes in many guises and remote working is one option.
julia howard 05 Mar 2012
As a homeworker myself I treasure this flexibility and say 'hat's off to them' for showing other businesses that this can work, and has financial and output benefits too. I admit some trepidation at the initial thought of homeworking but some 8 years on I've not looked back. I am far more productive and focussed, I do not 'skive' but tend to have to remember to stop work! I enjoy my job so much more and find that team meetings and the occassional away day are very much more useful and productive than when we were office based - of course they serve the purpose of preventing isolation too. I am still frustrated when people say to me 'it must be great working from home and playing with your little ones all day' - of course that's simply not the case, I have child care every day I work, whether in the office or at home, but it is nice to take a lunch break with the children. Ultimately dedication, focus and a great team are key - in my humble opinion.
MA Business & Leisure Limited © Copyright 2013, All Rights Reserved
