Professor Colin Coulson-Thomas

PRESS RELEASE

Parliamentary inquiry told new right to request flexible working could have harmful consequences

Allowing people to work at whatever time and place best enables them to harness their potential and be effective can benefit both individuals and organisations and address a range of social issues according to Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas. Giving evidence at Westminster to the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group inquiry into flexible working the author of “Winning Companies; Winning People” called for regulatory barriers to innovation and diversity to be reduced in order for Europe to compete in international markets and to prevent the marginalisation of older citizens.

In his evidence Coulson-Thomas warned of the dangers of unintended consequences of inappropriate regulation and legislation such as a proposed right to request flexible working: “An effective and desired way of working for one role or person might not be appropriate for another. In some cases ‘being there’ might be important, while other work could be ‘location independent’. A new way of working needs to be right for the role, the organisation and the individuals concerned. Flexible working suits particular individuals undertaking certain tasks, and effective operation often requires new practices and support arrangements.”

Coulson-Thomas opposes the imposition of standard approaches: “Inappropriate legislation could be a burden for companies and a disservice to individuals who might not be cut out to work flexibly and/or independently, and for whose roles it might not be appropriate. Any move to grant rights to flexible working should address the reality that a particular way of working will not suit all individuals, in all roles and in all circumstances, or all of those with whom they will be required to collaborate.”

The professor claims a new generation of support tools will transform where, when and by whom work can be done: “Complex jobs can be outsourced and relocated. Average people in cheaper locations can be helped to emulate the approaches of costly experts and high performers.” He sees both dangers and opportunities: “A new underclass of people whose work prevents them enjoying lifestyle options available to others could emerge, while part-time activities could greatly improve the health and quality of life of older members of aging societies. Tax, benefit and regulatory arrangements to tackle risks must not get in the way of beneficial changes. ”

Having championed new ways of working in the late 1980s and led an EU teleworking project in the 1990s Coulson-Thomas has found that “Flexible working is most likely to succeed where the arrangements are voluntary, the work concerned is appropriate, the people involved are likely to be suited to what is proposed, and the organisation, the individuals, and those with whom they will be working are all agreed and make the necessary changes in ways of communicating and operating (e.g. assessment on outputs) for the new way of working to succeed.”

Coulson-Thomas’ Winning Companies; Winning People research programme reveals that “The most successful operators or winners do not take continuing success for granted. They are always open to alternative ways of operating. They are less wedded to precedent and more likely to treat each case on its own merits. They are also willing to re-invent themselves and to learn and work in new ways as the occasion demands. Innovative responses and novel approaches are recognised and rewarded.”

The Professor also finds: “On the whole, winners are pragmatic and wary of ‘single solutions’. They assemble creative and practical combinations of whatever ways of working, learning and other change elements they feel will enable them to achieve their purposes. They are always alert to the possibility of better alternatives and vary the factors selected to improve outcomes and cope with changing circumstances.”

According to Coulson-Thomas, “A new way of working must be appropriate for the tasks to be performed and the people concerned. Tasks should be defined in terms of delivering a specified ‘output’ with fixed parameters of cost and time. Ideal flexible workers are those who are inner directed and able to apply their knowledge and skill independent of any particular physical location. We may have to work differently from one day to another depending upon the particular assignment.”

Coulson-Thomas believes: “People likely to be involved in a new way of working - and those who work with them - need to be involved and prepared. Clear objectives should be set and health, safety and security issues addressed. Voluntary programmes are far more likely to succeed than those which are imposed. Regular communication with those who are working flexibly is also highly conducive of success.”

‘Winning Companies; Winning People, making it easy for average performers to adopt winning behaviours’ by Colin Coulson-Thomas is published Policy Publications. It contains findings on new ways of working, various checklists, and guidance on how to enable ordinary performers to emulate the approaches of high achievers. The handbook, and a framework and methodology for introducing new ways of working while restructuring (‘The Responsive Organisation’) and re-engineering supply chains (‘The Competitive Network’), can be obtained from http://www.policypublications.com

Details of tools that can support flexible, mobile and other forms of working and take account of the above research findings can be found on http://www.cotoco.com

Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas, author of ‘Winning Companies; Winning People’ and principal author of ‘The Responsive Organisation’ methodology, led the EU COBRA teleworking project and advises internationally on new ways of working. He became the world’s first Professor of Corporate Transformation and more recently the Process Vision Holder of major transformation projects, and has worked with over 100 boards to improve corporate performance, and spoken at over 200 national and international conferences in over 40 countries. He can be contacted via http://www.coulson-thomas.com

The All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group which is undertaking the inquiry into flexible working is chaired by Andrew Love MP. Administrative support is being provided by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

31 Oct 2009
Colin Coulson-Thomas

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