Smart working, i.e. a flexible work model - what is it about?

In our lives, more and more objects and activities become smart. The development of technology allows us to simplify many of them, which we use to make our lives easier. No wonder - thanks to this, we save time, which we can devote to other, more interesting activities. So what is the smart working system? Does it make work less demanding? What does this model bring? Please read this article where we will try to answer these questions.

What is smart working?

Smart working is, generally speaking, a flexible work system. This model is to ensure that the main concentration does not cover work time, but its effects. Thus, the employee performs his tasks at any time and place, which, however, must be agreed with the supervisor in advance.

Smart working does not only mean working outside the office. Although it can mainly be associated with performing tasks in cafes or at home, it can actually be, for example, a specific place of an office adapted to this type of work. Employees have different preferences - one day they may need 100% peace and quiet, in order to be able to discuss their ideas in a larger group the next. On a warm day, they want to work outdoors, and on a rainy day, they want to hide in a warm, cozy office.

Offices adapted to smart working often do not have specific workplaces for a specific employee. Therefore, each day he chooses where he wants to work. Usually in offices you can find cabinets where he keeps his belongings after finishing work. Thanks to this, one day he can sit on a comfortable sofa, and on the next day he can sit at a desk, or even stand at a special stand, if he wants to, and this way he will be able to work better.

Why smart working?

Why do companies decide to introduce the smart working method? More and more studies show that 8 hours spent at a desk have a negative effect on the concentration and creativity of an employee. The same position, same environment, lack of flexibility can make an employee feel nailed to a chair, become exhausted, and keep ideas from falling into his head. Especially if it turns out that he performs his tasks fully in 6 hours, and he spends 2 hours with virtually no idea what. The prospect of the fact that he could actually be at home and the quality of his work would not lose it is really tempting.

What does smart working give you?

Thanks to the introduction of the smart working model, employees will gain more time for themselves, which means a balance between private and professional life, thus more energy, a healthier approach to work, and even physical resistance, thanks to rest and relaxation.

The employer, in turn, acquires more effective, creative, innovative employees who come up with fresh, excellent ideas. Thanks to the fact that they can independently choose the place where they work, they can concentrate much more on the tasks. In addition, employees are more rested, cheerful, have a better attitude to work, which affects the atmosphere, and thus commitment and identification with the company.

Smart working can also be a great way to… save. After all, there are companies that rely, for example, primarily on visits to other institutions or meetings with clients. As a result, even several dozen people are missing from the office every day. However, their jobs are always available. Thanks to smart working, you can adjust the office in such a way that there will be fewer of these places and none of them will be assigned to a specific employee.

When will smart working work?

In order for smart working to be perfect in our office, first of all, we need to make sure that our employees are ready for it. They should show a proactive attitude (not be afraid of challenges, meet them, direct their tasks towards the goal and show initiative), be willing to share their knowledge with others, be motivated and communicate information to others without any problems.

If we want an employee to direct his tasks towards a goal, we must have one. Every person working in the company should know him and know what we are striving for. Thanks to this, employees know what they are working for, they are not afraid that their tasks will be wasted and they see the sense of even in such duties that are simply uninteresting, boring and do not require a lot of commitment and creativity.

Before introducing smart working, we should also make sure that communication between employees is at the appropriate level. They need to communicate efficiently with each other, even if they are not in the same room. It's hard to talk about smart working when nobody understands anyone.

Smart working - watch out for traps!

Smart working and focusing on effects is a very tempting method. It seems like an ideal way of working and employees usually agree to it willingly. As we mentioned above, there are many advantages of this system. However, in euphoria, you can forget about important issues that will make smart working help increase efficiency, but keep other issues.

First of all, it is worth remembering that in order to introduce effective smart working, employees must be provided with appropriate work equipment. They cannot be left alone with this problem. Useful in such a model of work are, for example, mobile devices that the company should provide and which it often forgets.

When planning work in the smart working system, you can also forget about the law and start breaking it. One must not forget about the Labor Code or the internal regulations of the company. It is very important in building an efficient model.