Chapter 1: Introduction to agile working and well-being in the digital age

We are living in a digital age where work is now organised around the widespread use of information and communication technologies (ICT). In response to this, the concept of agile working has emerged, which involves liberating individuals from traditional forms of work and is arranged around four key activities. These involve promoting temporal and spatial flexibility, integrating resources, engaging in innovative activity and utilising communication and digital technology, in order to respond dynamically to service and market needs and to meet both individual and organisational goals. In this chapter we discuss the four activities in agile working and comment on how these effect the performance and well-being of people at work. We then outline how each of the chapters in ‘Agile Working and Well-being in the Digital Age’ contribute understanding to this new work phenomenon, to inform students, researchers and practitioners about current and emerging trends in agile working, and how these now need to be tackled.