Management techniques need to keep pace with new flexible working patterns if the benefits of a digitally connected Britain are to be realised, according to the conclusions of a recent London Transport Museum and Orange debate on the impact of Connected Britain. The panel suggested that the days of the traditional office environment could be numbered, as universal access to fixed and mobile internet becomes prevalent.
The panel, chaired BBC journalist, economist and presenter Evan Davis, writer and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter, futurologist James Bellini, Robert Ainger from Orange and The London Mayor’s Transport Advisor Kulveer Ranger, discussing the future impact of Britain’s connectivity at the London Transport Museum.
Janet Street-Porter held the view that the office remains popular today, as “lots of people still don’t want to work from home because they’re worried that co-workers and bosses will think they’re watching daytime TV rather than working. Especially in a recession, you want to be visible, and sometimes, physical presence is worth more than 10,000 e-mails.”
Robert Ainger proposed that the answer lies with adapting management techniques to new ways of working. “We need to work out a way to measure the value of those working outside of the office. Increasing numbers of us don’t work in the same office, building or even part of the country as our bosses - universal connectivity makes working from anywhere a reality, and management skills need to keep up.”
How companies could make better use of existing office space was also a topic of focus. According to James Bellini, “The concept of working 9-5in an office is built on the old industrial factory model; a model built on mistrust, with strict hierarchies.” Janet Street-Porter added, “We’ll look back in 50 years time and find the concept [of working in an office] weird.”
The panel identified that enhanced connectivity through technology such as mobile and fixed internet, would give rise to ‘clusters’ of like-minded people being drawn together. Rather than the traditional business and office set-up dictating where we work, how we live, and who we socialise with, the future ‘digital age’ will see us drawn to others with similar skills, involved in the same industries, or just interested in the same things.
Robert Ainger said: “Connectivity allows us to increase the number of people in our networks, irrelevant of geography. It’s likely that in the future, we’ll find ourselves working alongside people from outside our businesses, sharing ideas and values and enhancing our own productivity. We’ll also recognise false boundaries, and start to reach out to anyone that has the skills we need to get the job done, regardless of location. What we need to ensure is that technology supports the associated infrastructure needs of these networks.”
The panel agreed that a move away from a focus on our cities and offices as places to conduct business will see connected individuals choose where they want to work. As connectivity hubs that are commonplace in our larger cities, such as local coffee shops and Wi-Fi hot spots, extend across the country, we could even see the regeneration of some of the UK’s towns and villages.
Futurologist James Bellini asked, “Why not Wi-Fi enable the village hall or the local pub and provide places for people to hot-desk? Connectivity doesn’t mean the end of social interaction; it’s a way of enhancing it. By eliminating the dreaded commute – on which 4.6 million hours are spent daily – people could use the time for more productive purposes.”
Street-Porter added, “This is already happening. I recently directed a programme that looked at a Yorkshire mining village who had turned the local village hall into a place to teach people to work electronically.”
The debate took place as part of both Orange’s continuing focus on Connected Britain, and the London Transport Museum’s current Suburbia exhibition programme, which celebrates our suburban lifestyle past, present and future, and the impact of transport on the development of the suburbs.
Visit YouTube to see the debate highlights or check out the Orange Connected Britain website to find your ideal UK location.
About Orange
Orange is the key brand of the France Telecom Group, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. With 123 million customers, the Orange brand now covers Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates.
In the UK, Orange provides high quality GSM coverage to 99% of the UK population, and 3G coverage to more than 93%. At the end of September 2009, Orange had more than 17 million customers in the UK – 16.11 million active mobile customers and approximately 900,000 fixed broadband customers.
At the end of 2008, France Telecom had consolidated sales of 53.5 billion euros (12.7 billion euros for the first quarter of 2009) and at 31st March 2009, the Group had a customer base of almost 184 million customers in 32 countries. These include 123 million mobile customers worldwide and 13 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers in Europe. Orange is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband Internet services in Europe and, under the brand Orange Business Services, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.
Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Personal Communications Services Limited.
For more information please call the Orange Press Office 0870 3731500 or visit www.orange.co.uk/newsroom
London Transport Museum
Suburbia, the new exhibition at London Transport Museum, explores how public transport helped to create the myths and identity of suburbia and how it has featured in the cultural fabric of London and Britain over the last 100 years.
The exhibition, which is supported by American Express, looks at how transport has shaped the suburbs and celebrates suburban lifestyle, architecture, design and popular culture through a series of unique displays. The exhibition mixes fun, fact and a little bit of fantasy to rejoice in a place that we collectively continue to love and hate. The Suburbia displays complement the Museum’s permanent gallery which tells the story of the early 20th century Suburban Dream. Website: www.ltmuseum.co.uk
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