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.