Last week I was back at BT Tower at the launch of the Smart Working Code of Practice (PAS 3000) – possibly a day of great significance for those of us interested in making the best use of the built environment and the talented people that use buildings.
Produced by the British Standards Institute (BSI) this document draws together all the disparate strands of the workplace – the people agenda, workplace and the technology that acts as a glue to enable smart working. It is the brainchild of The Cabinet Office TW3 team who sponsored the BSI to produce PAC 3000. It is a stepping stone towards the development of a full European or international standard. I should also acknowledge the tireless efforts of Andy Lake who acted as technical author. Listening to BSI’s Scott Steeman introduce the publication I was stuck by his global focus where currently about 2/3rds of their output is for the global marketplace. Therein lies the significance of this publication for the development of smart working.
As I contributed to the publication as part of the review panel I was asked to say a few words about why PAS3000 is important to the private sector. The publication of the Smart Working Code is not a panacea, it is however a useful tool to help build understanding across a wider audience – both in the UK and globally. It is a big step forward which along with other useful guides can help all of us to join up the dots of people and place in the digital world. Whilst many of us are challenged to do more with less this guide can help secure an even bigger prize. A joined up approach helps deliver greater business effectiveness which when added to the efficiency gains delivers a value greater than the sum of the parts.
As somebody who believes in smart working it was very heartening to see the breath of interest in this event which was followed by the second annual TW3 awards. The winners and runners-up all demonstrated a holistic approach to thinking about how we can improve the way we work today. One way of summing up this approach is that it is not just about a building re-fit or property deal, not just a staff re-training initiative, not just a new computer system but a joined up strategy based around clear leadership. As there are many views of what this is all about I was struck by a post in the Civil Services website which opens with an insightful observation that;- ‘People think smarter working is all about hot-desking and wonder where they’ll keep their morning cornflakes, but it’s not really about that’
All in all, I think this is a major step forward, we now have a tool which can assist both public and private sector, large and small organisations, leaders and their teams. PAS 3000 is holistic in its approach, practical and easy-to-read and is produced by an independent world class body the BSI.
What more could one ask for?
