Adaptation Research Suggests New Right to Request Flexible Working Could Have Harmful Consequences
Adaptation chairman warns Parliamentary inquiry of unintended results of new proposals that could get in the way of beneficial changes.
Peterborough, United Kingdom, November 02, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Allowing people to work at whatever time and place best enables them to harness their potential and be effective can benefit both individuals and organisations and address a range of social issues according to management consultants Adaptation. Giving evidence at Westminster to the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group inquiry into flexible working the Adaptation chairman Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas called for regulatory barriers to innovation and diversity to be reduced in order for Europe to compete in international markets and to prevent the marginalisation of older citizens.
In his evidence Coulson-Thomas warned of the dangers of unintended consequences of inappropriate regulation and legislation such as a proposed right to request flexible working: “An effective and desired way of working for one role or person might not be appropriate for another. In some cases ‘being there’ might be important, while other work could be ‘location independent’. A new way of working needs to be right for the role, the organisation and the individuals concerned. Flexible working suits particular individuals undertaking certain tasks, and effective operation often requires new practices and support arrangements.”
Adaptation opposes the imposition of standard approaches: “Inappropriate legislation could be a burden for companies and a disservice to individuals who might not be cut out to work flexibly and/or independently, and for whose roles it might not be appropriate. Any move to grant rights to flexible working should address the reality that a particular way of working will not suit all individuals, in all roles and in all circumstances, or all of those with whom they will be required to collaborate.”
Having championed new ways of working in the late 1980s and led an EU teleworking project in the 1990s Adaptation has found that flexible working is most likely to succeed where the arrangements are voluntary, the work concerned is appropriate, the people involved are likely to be suited to what is proposed, and the organisation, the individuals, and those with whom they will be working are all agreed and make the necessary changes in ways of communicating and operating (e.g. assessment on outputs) for the new way of working to succeed.
According to the Adaptation chairman, “A new way of working must be appropriate for the tasks to be performed and the people concerned. Tasks should be defined in terms of delivering a specified ‘output’ with fixed parameters of cost and time. Ideal flexible workers are those who are inner directed and able to apply their knowledge and skill independent of any particular physical location. We may have to work differently from one day to another depending upon the particular assignment.”
Coulson-Thomas believes: “People likely to be involved in a new way of working - and those who work with them - need to be involved and prepared. Clear objectives should be set and health, safety and security issues addressed. Voluntary programmes are far more likely to succeed than those which are imposed. Regular communication with those who are working flexibly is also highly conducive of success.”
‘Winning Companies; Winning People’ by Colin Coulson-Thomas summarises the results of Adaptations investigations and is published Policy Publications. It contains various checklists, and guidance on how to enable ordinary performers to emulate the approaches of high achievers. The handbook, and a framework and methodology for introducing new ways of working while restructuring (‘The Responsive Organisation’) and re-engineering supply chains (‘The Competitive Network’), can be obtained from Policy Publications.
Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas, author of ‘Winning Companies; Winning People’ and principal author of ‘The Responsive Organisation’ methodology, led the Adaptation run EU COBRA teleworking project and advises internationally on new ways of working. Adaptation has worked with over 100 boards to improve board and corporate performance, and Prof. Coulson-Thomas has spoken at over 200 national and international conferences in over 40 countries.
The All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group which is undertaking the inquiry into flexible working is chaired by Andrew Love MP.
###
In his evidence Coulson-Thomas warned of the dangers of unintended consequences of inappropriate regulation and legislation such as a proposed right to request flexible working: “An effective and desired way of working for one role or person might not be appropriate for another. In some cases ‘being there’ might be important, while other work could be ‘location independent’. A new way of working needs to be right for the role, the organisation and the individuals concerned. Flexible working suits particular individuals undertaking certain tasks, and effective operation often requires new practices and support arrangements.”
Adaptation opposes the imposition of standard approaches: “Inappropriate legislation could be a burden for companies and a disservice to individuals who might not be cut out to work flexibly and/or independently, and for whose roles it might not be appropriate. Any move to grant rights to flexible working should address the reality that a particular way of working will not suit all individuals, in all roles and in all circumstances, or all of those with whom they will be required to collaborate.”
Having championed new ways of working in the late 1980s and led an EU teleworking project in the 1990s Adaptation has found that flexible working is most likely to succeed where the arrangements are voluntary, the work concerned is appropriate, the people involved are likely to be suited to what is proposed, and the organisation, the individuals, and those with whom they will be working are all agreed and make the necessary changes in ways of communicating and operating (e.g. assessment on outputs) for the new way of working to succeed.
According to the Adaptation chairman, “A new way of working must be appropriate for the tasks to be performed and the people concerned. Tasks should be defined in terms of delivering a specified ‘output’ with fixed parameters of cost and time. Ideal flexible workers are those who are inner directed and able to apply their knowledge and skill independent of any particular physical location. We may have to work differently from one day to another depending upon the particular assignment.”
Coulson-Thomas believes: “People likely to be involved in a new way of working - and those who work with them - need to be involved and prepared. Clear objectives should be set and health, safety and security issues addressed. Voluntary programmes are far more likely to succeed than those which are imposed. Regular communication with those who are working flexibly is also highly conducive of success.”
‘Winning Companies; Winning People’ by Colin Coulson-Thomas summarises the results of Adaptations investigations and is published Policy Publications. It contains various checklists, and guidance on how to enable ordinary performers to emulate the approaches of high achievers. The handbook, and a framework and methodology for introducing new ways of working while restructuring (‘The Responsive Organisation’) and re-engineering supply chains (‘The Competitive Network’), can be obtained from Policy Publications.
Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas, author of ‘Winning Companies; Winning People’ and principal author of ‘The Responsive Organisation’ methodology, led the Adaptation run EU COBRA teleworking project and advises internationally on new ways of working. Adaptation has worked with over 100 boards to improve board and corporate performance, and Prof. Coulson-Thomas has spoken at over 200 national and international conferences in over 40 countries.
The All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group which is undertaking the inquiry into flexible working is chaired by Andrew Love MP.
###
Contact
Adaptation Ltd
Colin Coulson-Thomas
0044(0)1733361149
http://www.adaptation.ltd.uk
http://www.coulson-thomas.com
Colin Coulson-Thomas
0044(0)1733361149
http://www.adaptation.ltd.uk
http://www.coulson-thomas.com
Contact
Categories