Since all of Italy became #redzone, the emergency for the new #Covid-19 virus has become structural, and companies had to respond quickly to the urgency of ensuring continuity in their operations. The government has done its part, facilitating the use of remote work – also known as #smartworking or #remoteworking – by all employees of a company, even in the absence of pre-established agreements, in order to minimize travel and contact between colleagues.
But this new mode of work – regulated by law in 2017, building on various experiments by innovative companies – was actually created to facilitate maximum flexibility in the use of time, space, and professional relationships, unlike telecommuting, which was a 'replica' of the office within the home. Smart working is, in fact, first and foremost – according to the definition of the Smart Working Observatory at Politecnico di Milano, cited by the law – a true managerial philosophy based on granting individuals flexibility and autonomy, in exchange for greater accountability for results.
Agile work and smart working
In agile work, there are no specific time or workplace constraints: the work is carried out both within the company offices and externally, without a fixed workstation, with the only limit being the working hours. The key criterion for defining "work done" is no longer physical presence at a workstation, but the achievement of objectives that are planned and shared with one's managers and team.
A true revolution compared to the traditional work setup, still widespread in our country, which has achieved remarkable success in just a few years and is now a reality in half (58%) of large companies in Italy, but also among small and medium-sized enterprises: one in ten is experimenting with it (12%), the same phenomenon in the public administration (16%). This work mode, based on trust and accountability, is a strong motivational lever for employees: 76% of smart workers are satisfied with their work (compared to 55% of other employees), and one in three is fully engaged in the organization they work for, compared to 21% of those working in a traditional mode. [1]
The current crisis could promote further development of this tool across the entire productive fabric of our country, but it can retain its innovative strength only if it is not distorted. Many people – both managers and employees – were suddenly forced to work from home and found themselves unprepared in terms of how to do so. Not so much in technological terms – because devices and internet connections are now "basic necessities" in Lombardy, even included in the Istat basket – but in organizational and relational terms. Also, because unlike normal times, now we are confined by obligation inside our homes, so working from here is not a choice, and moreover, within this space, professional activities are added to household ones, perhaps with children at home from school or a partner or roommate claiming the same space and quiet.
A new challenge
A great challenge, therefore, is to redefine work by organizing meetings that are compatible with everyone's schedules, setting goals where until yesterday the main one was simply going to the office and being available, and delegating tasks when, until recently, many were assigned tasks to execute.
Will we be able to seize this great opportunity? Yes, if we remember the first part of this trendy acronym "smart," meaning "fast," "flexible," "innovative." And to succeed, it's necessary not only to change – by force – the location but also the ways of working. Certainly very challenging, but it could also be fun, and we have the time to experiment without causing too much harm, in this historical moment with stretched-out times. To come out of it better, even in work, after the crisis.
[1] Smart Working Observatory of the School of Management at Politecnico di Milano, October 2019.
