Working at the edge of the world

Technology and knowledge have pushed the boundaries of where, when and how we work to extreme environments. Few can be much more ex­treme than the Antarctic. Increasingly, high-skilled worker (scientists) and operational support teams are spending longer time periods in this envi­ronment as they research major issues such as climate change. It is one thing to prepare and manage a workforce for such extreme working con­ditions. It is another to explore the way new technologies are impacting on the workforce physically isolated from home and family. The chapter looks at the complexities of managing a workforce in such an extreme environ­ment in the technology-intensive 21st century, which are arguably making the ability to manage work and non-work life potentially more difficult.