What exactly is Smart Working?

This concept echoes the notions of flexibility and agility now dear to companies and their users. It calls for the transformation of companies by digitizing them, modifying their structure and processes, and accelerating the creativity and well-being of their teams. Goodbye to organizations considered too rigid and predefined! With Smart Workings, let's focus on the BA-BA: ideas, projects and people. Let's explore this concept in detail.

Rethinking work spaces for user comfort

Workspaces must now be thought of in terms of their uses and the real activities of users. Moreover, the company's head office is now seen as a mother ship that allows the gathering, reception or training of its crew, but no longer on a daily basis. The tasks that employees have to perform may require them to work in spaces of concentration, exchange, sharing... that the head office is not always able to offer. So, let's understand that with Smart Workings, work is no longer constrained by the physical limits of the company. It can be done from a third space, close to the employees' home for example, or from a coworking space.
Note that many companies have already adopted "free office" or "flex desk" systems, but what Smart Working offers goes much further. It explodes the work surface and allows the exercise of its activity from anywhere.

The company must nevertheless support its teams by offering them adapted workspaces... and the freedom to use them or not. Want to know if your company is ready? Simply propose to your management to be able to work from a coworking space!

Discover the coworking spaces in Paris

Reinforce the digitalization of the company

Nevertheless, to make this possible, each company willing to implement Smart Working within its company, must digitalize its teams and processes, and offer a mobile equipment. Technology and digitalization are integral parts of this new work organization. Be careful not to neglect this aspect because if the technology is not optimal, it can be a source of irritation and conflict.

The use of smartphones, laptops and tablets have already been widely adopted by companies, however, newer technologies such as AI for example are not yet popular. In addition, companies are confronted with other more sensitive topics related to data processing, GDPR, or accounting for example. If Smart Workings is an ideal to reach, let's keep in mind that some practices must first be supervised and some software secured. The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the consideration of these topics, but it will take a few more months to make them real for all functions and strata of the company.

Discover the Coworking Lyon spaces

Promoting flexibility at all levels of the company

The flexibility of workspaces is at the heart of smart working policies. The necessary balance between professional and personal life is key for many employees, and this is even more true with generations X, Y and Millenials. Many studies can be found to support this topic and demonstrate the desire for freedom. The priority today is to get the job done right, no matter where it is done. Leaving employees free to manage their time, the choice of their work spaces... without forcing them to deal with daily habits such as transportation times for example is a win-win strategy.

A major consulting firm illustrated that in 2017, 92% of employees admitted that telecommuting contributed to a better personal balance. Since then, the studies have come and gone, and telecommuting has been experienced nationwide in 2020 and 2021, following successive confinements. If the return to the office or at least to a workspace has been felt, no longer is there any question for many employees to put an end to recent gains, namely: being free to drop off or pick up their children from school, no longer taking public transport on a daily basis, feeling at home at the end of the day and being able to enjoy their loved ones... In short, reinforcing individual time at the expense of collective time. Let's face it, the company will have to adapt!

Discover the coworking spaces in Lille

Develop a new working relationship based on trust

Smart Workings are based on trust. The autonomy of managers towards their teams, and more widely of the company towards its employees is crucial. The companies which opted for the Smart Working will all confide to you that it allowed them :

• To gain in productivity
• To reinforce the involvement and the feeling of belonging of the employees
• Drastically reduce sick leave and absenteeism
• Reduce real estate costs
• To benefit from a more attractive image

Thus, as in human relations in general, trust is the key to longevity and shared pleasure. So when will you switch to Smart Workings?