Hot desking refers to the temporary physical occupation of a work station or surface by a particular employee. This work surface could be an actual desk or just a terminal link. The concept of the hot desk is that the employer furnishes a permanent work surface which is available to any worker as and when needed. There is no personal domain pertaining to a particular worker and physical facilities are employed as and when needed.
Working from home
This type of smarter working, as the name suggests, involves performing work activities, whilst at home. It typically involves the establishment of a suitably equipped workspace within the home and utilises electronic forms of communication to liaise with colleagues and peers.
Teleworking
Telework is work performed from a distance, typically over a network such as the Internet, as opposed to work performed directly on site.
Mobile working
Mobile workers may have a base or headquarters but spend most of their working time in different locations. Organisations that provide services to businesses may carry out a great deal of work on clients' premises. Information technology means that workers are able to communicate with their office and stay away from base for long periods, sending in work electronically via mobile phones, GPRS/WiFi enabled laptops or PDAs.
Virtual teamworking
This refers to a situation where a number of people collaborate on a team project, rarely or never meeting face-to-face. A copywriter, editor, illustrator and graphic designer might collaborate on a book, for example, sending specifications, drafts, samples and comments between themselves. Developments in video conferencing, virtual private networks and collaborative project software have made such work more possible than ever. Where physical items have to be exchanged, courier services are used.