Future working practices

So, how does it feel to return to the office after your summer break? Quite possibly, the "daily grind" of commute, office politics and demanding managers leaves you feeling as stressed as you were before you had your holiday. For many people, this is the time of the year when they start to question their work-life balance, and maybe even think about the possibilities of working from home.

This scenario is looking more likely, as the Chartered Management Institute reported earlier this year. In Management Futures - The World in 2018, the study predicted different working practices and scenarios.

Among the predictions is an "exodus" from traditional workplaces, with millions of people working from home. This will be due to the environmental need to reduce commuting, as well as the need to look after older relatives. The effect of this will be a "work-life integration" rather than a "work-life balance" as people no longer differentiate between family and career.

Employees will need to become more flexible and better at "multi-skilling", while employers will have to allow their staff to "tailor" their work times. Traditional offices could be replaced by virtual companies, with communication between staff via high-speed broadband and virtual meetings.

All this might mean working on a project basis from home, or working for more than one organisation. It will become more common to work in multicultural work teams, and more important to increase personal skills and competences.

Many senior executives agree with these scenarios, expecting that "virtual teams of employees" will be likely in 2018.

What is your view on future working practices? Do you think it would be possible for you to work remotely?