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Smart Working – A Concept Built for the Future

Smart factories, smart homes, smart offices—digital transformation is reshaping how we live and work. These environments are becoming increasingly connected, automated, and intelligent. Smart working taps into the advantages of all these developments to create a new kind of workplace. In this article, we break down what smart working is, how it works in practice, and how it can be effectively managed through Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

Happy woman at the office © iStock 1169096513

Smart Working – Definition and Meaning

Smart working is a modern workplace model designed to give employees more autonomy. It builds on the foundations of time and location flexibility and leverages a range of digital technologies that make working remotely not just possible, but efficient. This approach encourages creativity and open collaboration across all teams.

Smart Work as the Next Step in Workplace Evolution

The job market is evolving rapidly—and digitalization has been a key driver of that change. In this context, smart work has emerged as a natural progression. It combines the growing popularity of remote work with the effects of globalization and core New Work principles, creating a more agile, employee-centric work environment.

Common Smart Working Approaches in Practice

Smart working doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, it can take on many forms depending on a company’s industry, culture, and specific needs. Let’s explore some of the most common approaches and what they look like in everyday work settings.

Flexible Work Hours

One core component of smart working is time flexibility. Whether it’s flexible schedules, job sharing, workations, lifetime work accounts, or hybrid models that combine on-site and remote work—employees increasingly value the freedom to manage their time.

Today, achieving a better balance between work and family life is a top priority. At the same time, companies need to ensure that face-to-face collaboration doesn’t fall by the wayside—especially when remote work becomes the norm. Successful smart working strategies take these needs seriously and offer solutions that bridge the gap.

Dynamic Workspaces

Closely related to time flexibility is the idea of flexible locations. When does remote work make sense, and when is it better to collaborate in person? Concepts like desk sharing offer an answer: multiple employees share a single workstation because they’re not all in the office at once.

This type of smart work approach also helps reduce real estate costs and contributes to more sustainable city planning by limiting the need for excessive office space. Fewer desks, smaller offices, and a modern image can even enhance employer branding.

Strategic Use of Supporting Technologies

To make smart working truly effective, companies need the right tech infrastructure. That means reliable VPN access for remote work and seamless communication systems that prevent delays or disruptions.

Whether it's email, chat platforms, video conferencing tools, or integrated HR software, a consistent and uninterrupted information flow is crucial. Every team member must have access to up-to-date information—regardless of where they’re working.

Trust-Based Leadership

Smart work requires a shift in leadership mindset. Managers must place greater trust in their teams, especially when it comes to deadlines, output quality, and working hours. These measurable aspects of smart working can be easily tracked and supported using digital tools like time tracking software.

Remote Collaboration in Hybrid Teams

Creating shared to-do lists or mind maps, refining business strategies, presenting to clients—hybrid collaboration is part of the future of work, and smart working is at the heart of it.

Cloud-based collaboration tools play a vital role here. They offer centralized, always-accessible file storage and communication platforms that make it easy for distributed teams to stay connected and productive.

Infographic showing the advantages of the smart working concept, e.g. cost savings due to reduced office space

Smart working strategies offer a range of benefits for both businesses and employees alike. © GFOS Group

The Benefits of Smart Working

Smart working offers a win-win scenario for organizations and their workforce. Some of the key benefits include:

How HR Software Powers Smart Working

Smart working requires structure—and that’s where modern HR software comes in. With a centralized platform, organizations can manage HR processes more efficiently and ensure alignment across departments. Everyone involved has access to real-time data and can adapt workflows as needed.

Key features such as Employee Self-Service (ESS) portals help automate routine tasks and accelerate approval workflows. Flexible work schedules—central to the smart working model—can be seamlessly managed through intuitive time tracking tools.

Even industries with fixed shift patterns can benefit: modern workforce planning software enables employee-centric shift scheduling, helping companies offer more flexibility even in rigid work environments.

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Why SaaS Is the Backbone of Smart Working

To successfully implement smart work practices, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms provide the ideal foundation. SaaS solutions are designed for flexibility—they allow teams to access tools and data from anywhere, at any time. This is especially valuable for decentralized and international teams.

Scalability is another major advantage. Companies can easily adjust licenses as needs change and integrate third-party systems to streamline operations.

Additional benefits of cloud-based SaaS platforms include:

How to Successfully Implement Smart Working

Launching a smart working model requires more than just good intentions. A range of organizational, technical, and cultural factors must align—and common challenges must be addressed along the way. 

Key Requirements

To lay the groundwork for successful smart working, organizations should focus on the following essentials:

Typical Challenges

Implementing smart work isn't without obstacles. Here are some of the key challenges organizations may encounter:

GFOS: Your Full-Solution Provider for Smart Work

As highlighted throughout this article, the foundation of smart working lies in the right technology. Over the past few years, workforce management solutions have proven to be invaluable in bringing flexible work strategies to life. Key features such as digital time tracking and mobile workforce planning empower organizations to tailor working hours to the needs of their employees—without sacrificing structure or efficiency.

Make Your Workflows Smarter

Are you already using workforce management software to support a smart working culture? Let us show you how to unlock the full potential of flexible, software-supported processes.

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