Working differently co-ordinates two innovative tendencies in the working environment: office innovation and teleworking. In addition working differently includes result-oriented work: performance is more important than presence. One hundred and fifty members of staff of the department for General Affairs and Finances, on the third floor of the Boudewijngebouw in Brussels have joined the project. The new office concept uses less space than traditional offices. Nobody has his or her own desk. But everyone does have a personal computer, a rolling trunk and a cordless internal telephone and a cupboard for personnel effects. The work area consists of assignment related workplaces. Members of staff choose the place that seems the best suited for the assignment that they are carrying out at a particular moment. Working together takes place in the open workplaces. Undisturbed and concentrated work is possible in the concentration workplaces or cockpits. All information is available to everyone in common archives, cupboards and on the network.
Teleworking and office innovation complement each other. Teleworking is pre-eminently working flexibly, working independently from time and place. That could be from home, in a satellite office or wherever. A potential disadvantage of changing workplaces - that it is not always easy to work in a concentrated and undisturbed way - can be perfectly solved by teleworking. In addition teleworking ensures a better balance between work and personal life. Working differently realises a winning situation for the company, organisation and individual. Flexible forms of work have a positive influence on the mobility problem, entail less stress and promote teamwork and the exchange of knowledge.