Limitless working brings flexibility and freedom to choose where and when tasks are performed. At the same time, digital site-independent workplaces put new demands on the relationship between employees and employers.
In September 2021, ANE published the report Sustainable Limitless Work – Opportunities, Challenges and Future Scenarios, which explored the effects of limitless working. It was based on a survey on limitless work conducted by the ANE member organisations in the winter of 2020–2021.
There are both positive and negative outcomes of limitless working. The data shows, for example, that the well-being of young employees in exclusively limitless work is affected, that gender equality can be impacted negatively, and that the role of leaders has also been changed. The report also outlines recommendations, including the ones for trade unions.
On the 5th of May 2022, ANE hosted an internal workshop for its member organisations to follow up on the report and the experiences and challenges of Limitless Working. The workshop looked at each organisation’s best practices on how limitless work’s impact is mitigated and tackled for the three specific target groups/thematic areas: Young employees and seniors, Managers/leaders, & Gender equality/women empowerment.
Matters related to recruitment and retention in a new, flexible, and limitless labour market were also at the centre of the discussions.
A further aim of the workshop was to strengthen the knowledge sharing and cooperation among the ANE member organisations by summarising the essential information shared at the event. A summary of this information can be found in this document (pdf).