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With the punishing effects of higher gas prices, more is being written and considered regarding how this phenomenon will affect our decisions about when, and where, we work. Having written on this subject in a previous entry, I won’t cover old ground; however, I will spend a little time on an evergreen topic — four-day work weeks — and how the promise of a reduced schedule is becoming reality.

We’re seeing elected and regulatory officials calling for four-day, 40-hour schedules now in state after state in the US. This move will take hold in a big way in the private sector shortly. By 2010, the five-day work week as we knew it, will be optional for many. As a result, we will have to become more efficient in our work together — and more precise in how we direct our remote colleagues.

Will efficiency flag, or will it grow? Will retention of employees be higher as work schedules abandon brutal and expensive commutes? Will we see the growth of cluster offices like those from Regus or The Hubworking Centre in Central London? Will digital and social media like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and others be formally “adopted” as communications vehicles and channels — with webcasts and group meetings being shared on YouTube or training and orientation being offered through Second Life?

This all may sound very dreamy. But dreamy it’s not. It’s already happening in a big way, and it’s a standard way of operating for many cutting-edge companies we see.

There are those who are saying that high gas prices are good reason to “remake” their corporate cultures, go to a four-day work week and reshape themselves as an employer of choice. Better still is the idea of doing these things because they’re right for people — regardless of any external factors.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 7th, 2008 at 5:37 am and is filed under Business and social trends, technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.