The latest workplace trend to emerge from the USA may herald the end of the workplace as we know it, according to BBC News Online.
It seems that Silicon Valley tech companies – many fed up with spiralling rents and costs - have finally seen the light on flexible working and are taking the idea to its logical extreme.
Companies such as the giant Sun Microsystems are devising schemes whereby employees can work from home, use remote worksites (so-called iWork Cafes) and book empty offices in any of Sun's buildings around the world for conferences and meetings.
More than half of Sun's 35,000 Santa Clara-based employees have dumped their desk for the roaming office, saving the company a fortune
According to Sun's Eric Richert: "Space is a very expensive component of how any company works, so right now we are avoiding about $71m of real estate costs because of this programme."
Sun's employees are much happier, too – which will soon work its way through to the bottom line.
"Those who feel they have a strong voice in choosing their work arrangements report a significant gain in productivity," Richert told the BBC.
