Futurologist predict that by 2038 work will be more flexible and that employees will be more independent. When and where you work becomes less important, as long as you do what you need to do. Telework will be an important factor in this evolution. Not only because of the increasing traffic problems and enviromental issues. According to Rob Gründemann of TNO Arbeid ‘work will enter more and more the private sphere because of technological evolution. Employers need to compensate this. Especially in a context of lack of employees which is coming at us by 2038 through the aging of the population (all babyboomers will be retired by then)’.

Telework (and homework) has lots of advantages: a research of British Telecom among 2000 homeworkers reveiled that they are more productive, less ill, and in addition happier that colleagues that are tied to their office daily. The absence of trafficjams and hourlong commuting and the facility in combining work and private life contribute a lot to this happiness. The homeworkers work in addition more hours than strictly necessary. Homeworking also gives less stress. One of the disadvantages of homework is a feeling of loneliness and professional isolation.

Here at ContactOffice it seems the future is already there. Most of our developers work from home based in different places in Belgium. We work using of course our collaborative suite and instant messaging (Jabber) as an efficient communication means.

We avoid meetings to a maximum, except for a bi-weekly status meeting which is the only moment the entire team meets physically.