You don't have to be the Amazing Criswell to make some predictions about how the workplace will change, given the convergence of Internet technology, younger employees and soaring gas prices. According to some recent prognostication by job placement consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., we could be seeing:
  • The end of business travel. This is a no-brainer, considering rising airfares (not to mention fewer flights, long delays and the fact that airlines treat their customers like terrorist cattle), pressure to become environmentally responsible, and businesses continually squeezing the bottom line.
  • Four-day workweeks. If you live in the burbs and work in the city or vice versa, you're feeling the pain. Gas is around $4.25 a gallon here in Chicago. With portable technology abundant, merciful employers (or smart ones focused on retaining talent) are already offering staffers the option to work at home periodically. Can the four-day work week standard be far behind?
  • Eliminating corporate headquarters. Real estate values are tanking, and it costs a lot of money to heat and cool that big glass monolith. A feasible alternative could be renting out smaller office spaces that are easier for employees to get to.
  • The death of the cubicle. With more employees telecommuting or on flexible schedules, cube farms might become a thing of the past. And the corporate emphasis on team projects also requires replacing cubicles with common areas and community work spaces.
Has your agency implemented any workplace changes in response to the ability to telecommute and/or the economy?


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