A new dynamic

A more flexible way of working brings with it a new dynamic. For example, the boundary between work and personal life is becoming blurred. This offers chances for a better work-life balance, as Dutch people are given the freedom to plan their day in the best way possible. With smart technology and quick access to documents and applications, ever more people are deciding themselves where and when they work. This requires companies to organize themselves in a new way; it’s not the number of hours worked or being present in the office that matters, but the achieved result.

Working where and when you want, must suit an employee. Some Dutch people prefer to stick to a fixed workplace and fixed hours. But the newest generation of working people has grown up in a digital world. They are used to deciding themselves where and when they are connected. In a few years, almost half of the working population will consist of these mobile, flexible knowledge workers. That’s why KPN is already looking into new solutions now for the way we are going to work in future.

Reduced CO₂ emissions

The flexibility to decide yourself where to work gives employees freedom. At the same time, these new applications help companies save costs and reduce their impact on the environment. This way, employees limit the number of kilometers they are driving with their car and organizations need to rent less office space. And we are talking here from experience: KPN embraced the New Way of Working years ago. Many colleagues decide themselves where they work: in the office, at home or somewhere else. As a result, we have drastically reduced our floor space, as well as the CO2 emissions of our company fleet.

Better use of workstations

Based on our own experiences, we’re advising other companies and we’re developing services that make it easier to implement the New Way of Working. For example, we came up with KPN Smart Building: a simple solution for making better use of workstations in buildings. Sensors in combination with ICT ensure that KPN Smart Building provides real-time insight into the availability and use of office space. Employees can see at a glance which spaces and workstations are free and then reserve them at the touch of a button. This means that every square meter is used effectively and efficiently. As a consequence, energy and accommodation costs are lower and productivity and employee satisfaction are higher.