Transuming

At the heart of Dynamic Work lies the notion that key resources (like office spaces and desks), need not be fixed, but are more efficient, accommodating and eco-friendly when flexible and...well...dynamic.

Part of what is driving the trend to Dynamic Work are changes in the consumer marketplace and lifestyle often introduced to the workplace by the Gen Yers. And one trend which completely reinforces the flexible approach to Dynamic Work is ‘Transuming.’

“Cassandra Smith spends $800 a month renting designer handbags and leases a luxury condo in downtown Miami. Environmentalist Zoee Turrill helped create a bike-sharing program at the University of Denver. Though they might seem to come from different ends of the consumption spectrum, they have something in common: They're not buying things. The rise of rental or borrowing services catering from everyone from fashionistas to environmentalists has even spawned a marketing buzzword: the ‘transumer’... in this global recession, people are warming to the idea of renting, and not buying, certain goods — because of cost, ease or space considerations.”

In the past, businesses had no problem with dabbling in remote working for sales people and supporting flexible working for a few roles, but Dynamic Work is about pushing those concepts and advantages in every nook and cranny of an organisation. Similarly, consumers have traditionally had no problem renting a DVD, power drill or a trailer to lug stuff, but now the article points out people renting handbags, pets, bikes, books, “Ferraris, art, holiday homes and even racehorses” in every corner of their personal lives.

One business area where this shift to a more flexible rental model is very prominent is my heartland...software. Traditionally, people bought their software packages as they needed for their organisation. But, more recently concepts like Microsoft’s ‘Software + Services’ are being delivered in a rental model. The approach not only saves the business the costs of the initial outlay, but more importantly it saves the business the ongoing costs and concerns of maintaining and running it all.