Smart Working

The enabling technologies and takeup of Smart Working analyzed through research data from the Smart Working Observatory of the POLIMI School of Management.

Goals

Activities

Work Group

Objectives of the Observatory

The Smart Working Observatory was founded in 2012, becoming part of a broad Research context that focused on studying for over ten years the evolution in ways of working. Smart Working is intended as: “A management approach based on giving back to people the flexibility and autonomy of choosing spaces, schedules, and tools to use in return for greater result accountability”. In today’s context of great uncertainty and increasing tension in the labor market, many organizations are readjusting their Smart Working model, trying to achieve the right balance between remote and office-based work. While in too many cases Smart Working is still considered only as a tool for responding to emergency situations or work-life balance necessities, many organizations are consolidating their initiatives with growing interest in new flexibility models, including initiatives to reshape working hours. Among them, organizations that are able to adopt mature Smart Working models building on the various levers (policies, spaces, technologies, behaviors and leadership styles), notice better performance and positive effects on people’s well-being and engagement. In this context the Observatory aims to be the point of reference for developing the business organization innovation culture. The approach to analyzing the condition is multidisciplinary and aims to support decision makers (IT Managers /CIOs, Heads of Human Resources /HR, Facility Managers) in adopting Smart Working within public and private organizations and policy makers.

Smart Working Observatory Research

As part of its annual edition, the Smart Working Observatory conducts the following research activities on the evolution of work arrangements:

Monitor the adoption of Smart Working in Italy in terms of the number of smart workers and initiatives developed by organizations, identifying best practices and global evolution trends at the international level
Monitor the spread of the main applications supporting Smart Working (e.g., social collaboration, security, smart office technologies) by analyzing the impact of Artificial Intelligence technologies on how individuals and teams work
Examine the role of digital technologies in improving workplace safety—in terms of physical safety—and sustainability for workers, including their psychological and relational well-being
Monitor the evolution of organizations’ workspaces and external spaces (e.g., coworking spaces, business centers, and public spaces)
Explore flexible work arrangements that balance flexibility with effective collaboration and enable greater autonomy for employees. Monitor the adoption and impact of work-week reduction and International Smart Working initiatives
Identify the impact of Smart Working on sustainability (environmental and social) and its effects across different regions
Learn more about workers’ perspectives on the implementation of Smart Working and new flexible work models, as well as their impact on workers’ well-being and engagement, including through a generation-based analysis

Each year, Research is based on an empirical analysis that through surveys and case studies involves over 200 large Italian companies, 500 SMEs, and over 400 Public Sector bodies.

Activities

The events planned for the edition of the Smart Working Observatory are:

Two kick off events reserved to Research supporting company representatives and advisory board members contributing to setting up the annual Research
Four invite-based workshops addressed to the contact person of Research supporting business organizations and representatives at various levels of companies involved in Research
In-depth focus sessions by Observatory partners
A Research results preview workshop addressed exclusively to Research Partners and Observatory Advisory Board members
A conference to present Research findings with speeches delivered by key figures of supporting business organizations, confer the Smart Working Awards, and present main Smart Working ventures.
Research activities
Research activities in planned by the Smart Working Observatory are:
Field research through questionnaires and direct interviews involving Information Systems Managers, Human Resources /HR Managers, and Facility Managers of large companies, SMEs, and public sector bodies based in Italy.
Survey on a statistically representative sample of workers in organizations with more than ten employees.
Conduct case studies of large companies, SMEs, and public authorities that have adopted Smart Working aiming to highlight best practices.
Observatory content
The Observatory will develop the following contents:
- A digital report containing the main findings from Observatory research, to be distributed at the conference;
- A collection of digital reports covering topics explored in depth during the year of research;
- A biweekly Press Review for community supporters and companies, collecting the most relevant news on Smart Working at international and Italian levels.

The Smart Working Award

The Observatory promotes the Smart Working Award to support the culture of innovation in Smart Working, generate a virtuous mechanism for sharing excellence experiences, and provide visibility to the most successful initiatives.

Click here for more information and to run for the award.

Become a supporter of the Smart Working Observatory

More than 500 Companies each year choose to support research and participate in the activities of the Digital Innovation Observatories, coming into direct contact with corporate, institutional, and academic decision makers. Become a Partner, access exclusive Observatory data before anyone else, network with companies and qualified experts, and gain visibility in our events.

For more information please contact Fiorella Crespi at fiorella.crespi@polimi.it.