Quite a few organisations invest in new offices and information systems, yet do little to transform a corporate culture that is often rooted in a previous era.

Some others seek to innovate in their working practices - flexible time, teleworking, policies for work-life balance, etc. - without putting in place the necessary infrastructure of facilities and technology.

Of course there are a few that get it right and even a few others (mainly in the public sector) that manage to combine a poor infrastructure with an aversion to any form of innovation.

In its basic form, FlexiGrid is a free, online tool that takes no more than 5 minutes to deliver an instant self-diagnosis and commentary. Whilst this is no substitute for a more thorough analysis - possibly using some of the other flex-e-work tools - it can serve as a senior management wake-up call.

Getting it right

Preparing for change is often more painful than change itself. Yet in most sectors costs must be reduced, productivity increased, service to customers improved and staff recruited, motivated and retained. Simply tampering around the edges of the conventional ways of doing things is no longer good enough.

New ways of working involve organisations harnessing the technologies available to work more flexibly, delivering the benefits outlined above. Success demands that those responsible for technology, facilities and human resources work together on an integrated programme of innovation in working practices, working environments and business processes.

Take the test!

Answer a few simple questions and the FlexiGrid "expert system" will categorise your organisation in terms of:

• infrastructure - offices, technology, business processes, etc.
• culture for innovation - management attitudes and style, working practices, openness to change, etc.