Abstract:

Constantly developing information and communication technologies directly affect the economy as a whole and the labour sphere in particular and contribute to the emergence of new forms of labour organization. The article focuses on the positive and negative aspects of introducing smart working technology in the organization of employees’ work, using Italian and Russian companies operating in the field of information services as an example. Empirical data were collected using the method of narrative interviews with smart workers, which allowed the authors to study the personal experience of those who work in a smart working environment. A comparative analysis of their evaluative judgments allowed the authors to identify the advantages and disadvantages, as well as the similarities and differences in the current process of introducing smart working technology in the companies under study. In addition, the authors analyzed the respondents’ narratives in terms of the concept of social pollution from the companies’ economic activities which considers a set of adverse factors in the workplace that have a negative impact on staff well-being when they switch to the smart working mode. Based on the study results, the authors conclude that the lack of a legal regulatory framework and insufficiently thought-out implementation of this technology when organizing the company’s staff work can lead to social pollution factors that adversely affect the smart workers’ well-being.