Welcome to The Smart Work Network
The Smart Work Network brings together practitioners of Smart Working from large organisations across the UK and Europe. Members are people working in private, public and voluntary sector organisations to roll out substantial programmes of Smart Working.
Latest News
Rethinking Systems – Changing more than the location of work
International online event 13th March 2025, organised by Workshape 8pm GMT Human-created systems shape how we work, connect, and create. But are the systems we
Videos and podcasts on flexible and smarter working
Over at Flexibility.co.uk, we’ve put together a page of videos and podcasts on flexible working and the future of work. These include “Andy’s Short Bites”
Creating wellbeing in any workplace
Fireside chat with with Esther Sternberg M.D, Author of Well at Work, and Philip Vanhoutte, Co-Founder of the European Smart Work Network. Since the start
Fireside chat with author Brian Elliott on How the Future Works
How are organisations responding to the emerging world of work? And what should they be doing? How about the office workplace – what do we
Time to move Beyond Hybrid Working – Here’s How
By Andy Lake Since 2020, we have seen an acceleration of trends that span more than 30 years. These include the rise of flexible working,
3rd edition of the Smart Working Handbook out now
The Smart Working Handbook is the authoritative summary guide to implementing a strategic and integrated approach to Smart Working. It has been used by thousands of
Building our Smart Working Bookshelf – best reads
Here’s our selection of the best reads relating to Smart Working and the changes needed to working practices and culture, property and technology, with some
Making Hybrid Working work – and work smarter
The November session of the Network looked at the ways organisations are adapting to new ways of working. We explored the key questions of how
Design for a better work experience for individuals
In this guest post Mark Catchlove, Leader of MillerKnoll’s Insight Group, reflects on the new realities for the workplace, and the need to focus on
The Smart Work Network is grateful for the support of the following organisations that are committed to researching and sharing innovative practices in work and workplace:
Smart Working is a business-focused approach to flexibility and mobility that delivers more efficiency and effectiveness in work organisation, service delivery and organisational agility, as well as benefits for working people.
Find out about the core principles of the Smart Work Network. When you apply to join the Network, you accept these principles. So please do make sure you’re happy with them before joining!
There has been an upsurge in interest in smarter ways of working – in particular remote working – during the pandemic. But for many organisations, the response has been reactive and tactical rather than strategic.
What is Smart Working?
Smart Working is a business-focused approach to flexibility and mobility that delivers more efficiency and effectiveness in work organisation, service delivery and organisational agility, as well as benefits for working people.
Key features are management by results, a trust-based culture, high levels of autonomy, flexibility in the time and location of work, new tools and work environments, reduced reliance on physical resources and openness to continuing change.
Sharing Leading Practice In Smart Working
The Smart Work Network is a peer collaboration network for practitioners implementing Smart/Flexible Working within their organisations.
Our mission is to develop, share and promote best practice in implementing Smart Working, in order to maximise the benefits to individuals, organisations, society and the environment.
Benefits of Membership Include:
Learning
Members can meet and learn from each other about their Smart Working programmes – sharing experiences, ideas, challenges and solutions.
Resources
Members can access documents provide by other Network members, such as policy documents and presentations, and work together to produce new guidance.
Leading-Edge Practice
Members can find out about leading-edge practice in Smart workplace design, new technologies and ways to promote and embed culture change.
Joining The Network
Membership of the Network is free to people in organisations with 100+ employees in the UK and Europe who are helping their employing companies deliver flexible working.
We’re afraid it’s not a network for vendors and consultants, nor for small businesses which tend to have a different set of issues and context for implementation. However, there are other activities run by Flexibility.co.uk that are more appropriate for these groups.
To apply to join the Smart Work Network, click the ‘Join Now’ link for UK or Europe as appropriate, and follow the instructions.
About Us
A little bit of background on our organisation
What we do
The Smart Work Network operates as follows:
- It’s a network of people actively involved in developing Smart, Flexible and ‘Agile’ Working in their organisations, across all sectors
- The aim is to share information and experience, solve problems, etc
- It’s primarily for people setting up Smart Working in organisations, rather than consultants and vendors, etc
- The network has frequent meetings per year, showcasing what members have been doing, exchanging knowledge, and exploring agreed topics of interest. It is free to members to attend meetings
- Members also have access to a secure area in this website with discussion forum, special articles, etc, and receive periodic emails with news updates
History
The Smart Work Network was formed in 2007 in the UK.
From an initial launch at Reuters, it’s grown to have over 400 members drawn from around 350 organisations.
The first virtual meeting was held in 2020.
In 2020 we also launched Smart Work Europe, the European version of the Network, which is growing fast
Founders and Funders
The Smart Work Network is an initiative of Flexibility.co.uk
Network activities are currently sponsored by Saint Gobain Ecophon
& MillerKnoll Insight Group
The Founders are:
- (UK and Europe) Andy Lake, Director of Flexibility.co.uk Ltd, author of numerous publications including Smart Flexibility and the Smart Working Handbook
- (Europe) Philip Vanhoutte, founder of Ozadi, former MD Europe and Africa, Plantronics and author of The Smarter Working Manifesto
- (Europe) Ben Hutchinson, Director and Enterprise Coach at JCURV, and specialist in change leadership and cultural change
Contact Us
We aim to reply to all messages within 24 hours.