Flexible work is the new must-have employee benefit
The workplace — and how we work — is continually evolving. Pre-2020, flexible work was rare. Long commutes were common, and the 9-5 was the norm. And then the pandemic hit.
While COVID-19 caused a major shift in the way we work, not all of the changes were permanent. Now that we’re moving away from the depths of the pandemic, the workplace is changing once again.
Now that employees have experienced a new way of working, it’s unrealistic for companies to expect to return to a pre-pandemic workplace. Companies that don’t change their approach are likely to end up with dissatisfied employees and find it hard to recruit new staff.
That’s where flexible working comes in
In 2022, employees everywhere seek a better balance between their work and personal lives. Today’s workers no longer want to sit in an office day in, day out — and companies need to be willing to accommodate this.
In fact, research conducted by EY as part of its 2021 Work Reimagined Employee Survey found that four in five UK employees wanted flexibility at work.
What’s more, 47% said they would leave their jobs if flexible working weren’t an option post-pandemic.
So, it’s clear that flexible working is becoming the new must-have employee benefit. Let’s dig a bit deeper into what that means for your company.
What is flexible work?
Essentially, flexible work can be summed up as: A way of working which suits an employee’s needs.
Sounds pretty simple, right? But an employee’s needs can be made up of lots of different factors. And what’s more, every employee is different!
So, what do you need to consider to ensure your company offers truly flexible working?
Here are just a few factors:
1. Working from home or the office
Giving your teams the choice of where they work and how often is crucial to flexible working.
Working from home offers some employees many benefits that commuting into the office doesn’t (we’ll dive into those a bit later).
For others, an office environment’s social and collaborative nature is more appealing.
The most important factor in flexible working is allowing your employees to choose the workplace that suits them — rather than choosing for them.
2. More flexible working hours
A strict 9 to 5 working schedule is no longer as popular as it once was. And with technology, it’s not entirely necessary. So, many companies now offer more flexible working hours.
This might involve implementing flexible start times (like encouraging employees to begin work any time between 7 am and 10 am) or allowing teams to take longer breaks at lunchtime.
Many employers now take the stance that as long as productivity remains the same, they’re willing to trust employees to decide their working hours. After all, each of us is different — and we all work best at different times of day!
3. Part-time working hours
For some employees, full-time work is hard to balance. Flexible work can also allow your teams to move to part-time hours with ease if that works best for them.
Why flexible work is the new must-have employee benefit
The pandemic showed companies worldwide that there is another way to work. Most importantly, flexible work opens up a world of possibilities to employees everywhere. Teams can seriously reduce their travel time and costs by working remotely. And that means more time spent with family, which many view as an absolute priority in their personal lives. Offering flexible working hours also lets workers balance their personal commitments around their work schedule.
Parents may choose to start work a bit later to eat breakfast with their children and take them to school each morning. Dog owners might decide to take a longer lunch to get outside with their pets while the sun is still shining. And yoga enthusiasts might choose to go to a class in the middle of the afternoon and then make up the hours a bit later in the day.
Workers want options
The more options your company offers, the more likely you will create a loyal and engaged workforce. And, ultimately, a more productive workforce. A 2021 Gartner study found that 43% of people with flexible working hours were more productive and 30% of people who didn’t have to commute saw their productivity increase.
How to implement flexible work in your organization
Knowing the benefits of flexible work is all well and good, but what’s the best way to implement it?
Technology is key!
If you’ve given your employees a choice to work from home or in the office, your teams will be spread out across various locations most days. This means that you’ll need to implement effective ways of communicating virtually — and there are tons of brilliant apps out there that can assist with this.
From Zoom to Microsoft Teams, technology can help you encourage effective communication between your workers, wherever they’re based.
And when it comes to days that employees choose to commute into the office, it’s important to have the right systems for room bookings and hot desking. While flexible work is all about options, you want to avoid the chaos of an unmanaged workspace when people come in for in-person time and collaboration.
That’s why using great workplace scheduling software can help you coordinate everything. Flexible working opens you up to new ways to use your office spaces. This helps you better utilize your space and gives employees a chance to collaborate and experience a modern, engaging workplace.
We can help you manage the transition to flexible working
Managing the transition to flexible, hybrid working is not easy. At Smartway2, we can provide you with the tools, tech, data insights, and best practices you need to help your teams enjoy an amazing workplace experience.
Book a demo today and discover how flexible workplace scheduling can transform your company.
