LAZY GITS?

Who invented work? Despite there being lots of books on the subject, it seems that no one really knows.?

In the very distant past, you can guess that some smart-Alec twigged that they could?enjoy a much easier life?getting someone else to do work for them whilst they took the cash, like the apocryphal Jobs-Wozniak Atari circuit board story, or Lord Alan Sugar. More about him soon.

The actual origin of work may be lost in time, like who created money and why politicians seem OK after they’ve left office, but recently, the changing patterns of work are causing some fuss, not least of which is the current spat between Alan ‘you’re fired’ Sugar and PwC, where Sugar branded PwC “lazy gits” for offering Friday afternoons off within flexible working.

Is Sugar a dinosaur? His success was built in a different era regarding work, that’s for sure and PwC have hit back saying he’s “out of touch”. Remote working has risen steadily in recent years until it exploded in the pandemic. Since then, opinion has become polarised between ‘back to the office’ traditionalists and more ‘progressive’ organisations, who likely see the opportunity to address key skills shortages.

Maybe both sides are missing an important point in this argument – shouldn’t work be judged on outputs and achievements rather than time and presence??

Aren’t results more important than hours?

That’s why Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a better measure than the traditional Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and other requirements typically found in Contracts of Employment. Targets are the most critical measure of effectiveness in commercial roles, and different functions can have similar, simple, OKRs providing they are defined properly and communicated effectively.

Granted, some jobs require attendance, such as manufacturing, retail and hospitality, plus most organisations with a hub require some presence, but the last few years have proven that information workers can, in the vast majority, be every bit as productive remotely.

The 4-day week concept appeared??pre-pandemic, with organisations like Atom Bank being an early adopter and Iceland (the country, not the company) conducting the world's most extensive pilot of a four day work week between 2015 – 2019. This looks likely to go ahead now, with Belgium keen to follow.

The last industrial revolution changed work radically with Henry Ford acknowledged as the creator of the 40-hour week. Whilst a 3-Day weekend might appeal to many, the 4-day week idea may also be missing the most crucial point by replacing one rigid work construct with another based on hours, not results.

I’m guessing that most workers would like choice in their working patterns, preferring time in the office with colleagues, balanced with remote work each week. Some will want to work 100% remote, and some prefer being in the hub all the time – that’s individuality and completely natural. As long as OKRs prioritise the goals of the organisation and ascribe these to individual roles, then the hours worked matters a lot less.

Does this make people Lazy Gits? I don’t believe so. Parliament is a far better example of laziness and wanton behaviour, including of course another proponent of the ‘get back to the office’ brigade; Jacob Rees-Mogg, who’s been leaving passive aggressive notes for civil servants on the subject. He really plays up to his a 19th?Century caricature doesn't he?

Work has changed substantially in the last few years but it will change even more radically still in the next decade due to technology. Some find change difficult but it is inevitable.