Give me a laptop and a blackberry and I can work anywhere!

I was fascinated to read a recent article in HR Magazine about workplace flexibility, "The Future is Now" by Ann Pomeroy about Capital One's workplace flexibility program. If you are limiting your job search to part-time work, you may want to reconsider. Flexibility programs like this can provide you with a stimulating job and a work-life balance that works.

Under this 3 year old program, employees of Capital One are equipped with mobile technology, laptops and blackberries, that allow them to work most anywhere.

Workers now work side by side in large open spaces unbroken by cubicle walls, sitting at tables equipped with hookups for their laptops and phones. Interspersed throughout this space are quiet zones for small meetings, confidential phone calls or work that simply requires quiet. Two thirds of the employees have no assigned seats. When they need to be in their offices, they simply look for a vacant spot in their areas, plug in their laptops and they are in business. Many people now telecommute once or twice a week.

Picture Starbuck's with study rooms!

Initially employees were hesitant to change and managers were concerned about the logistics of managing someone they wouldn't see as often. But what they have found in their recent survey is a 41% increase in overall workplace satisfaction, a 46% increase in those who say the work atmosphere is stimulating and a 60% increase in those who say the work atmosphere is creative.

From the manager's perspective, the program works because 1. employees want and need flexibility at work, offering the flexibility helps attract and retain the best employees, 2. People are able to be more productive when they have the flexibility to work when and where they choose, 3. reconfiguring office space to fit the way employees really work saves the company a lot of money. 1,500 to 2,000 employees are now housed in an area where 500-600 people used to sit.

Working like this makes sense for my life. I was thrilled to see that a large corporation thought so too!