Organisations are at the brim of a major transformation. One fundamental element of this change is rapidly re-shaping itself to the beat of the sustainability drum, with innovative changes to how organisations interface with colleagues, the community and the environment.
At the heart of this transformation lies one single, yet complex phenomenon. Work. Fuelled by a multitude of drivers, including globalisation, technology and management innovations, the how, when and where we work is revolutionising at full speed. Shifting economies, priorities and social structures means variations to the ways in which we do business and also in the ways in which we engage and sustain our workforce.
In a bid to reconcile the hyper pace of work and life, the overarching notion of workplace flexibility has become an integral and highly prized proposition, almost a commodity in itself. Considerations for features such as work/life balance and telework are being increasingly hardwired into our work routines and employment contracts.
Government initiatives such as the National Broadband Network (NBN) and Fair Work legislation have been amongst a growing number of catalysts spurring this burgeoning trend. Consequently, flexibility is permeating through our organisations, forging long-term effects on our economy, our social constitutions and our environment. Sustainability scholarship has traditionally focused on environmental issues. Yet, the social and economic elements have often been extrinsic or peripheral to the core discourse.
Maria aims to present an under-examined, yet significant contribution to the study of sustainability. It will highlight some of the emerging transformations in organisational change and new work models, employee engagement and spatial re-design of work spaces. The paper will discuss how these innovations forge their unique contribution towards the nexus of business and sustainability.
Mrs Maria Montesano, La Trobe University will present at:
Two Conferences! Three Days! One Location!
The Sustainability Conference: “Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation 2” will be held in conjunction with the 6th Making Cities Liveable Conference, in a new era of collaboration, information sharing and professional networking. The conference is being held from the 17th – 19th June 2013 at Novotel Melbourne St Kilda.
