The nature of work in the UK has changed dramatically over time and yet many still adhere to the working patterns established in the factory age of the industrial revolution. Commute into any city or town and the stresses and strains on individuals and transport systems are all too visible.
What may be less visible are the stresses and strains from adapting to a 24/7 demand culture in our service-based economy. Add to these pressures the need to work in team across the globe (with different time zones and different cultures) while working towards a common purpose, and the problems with traditional working practices and styles mount up. Link all of these factors with additional pressures on business and organisations in times of austerity; stalling productivity, global competition and ageing workforces and there is a powerful cocktail of drivers for change in the way we work.