THE pandemic has taught many employers that it is possible to work from almost anywhere and deliver the same outputs, with some organizations even achieving above expected results. The pandemic was the catalyst in helping organizations to understand that the future of work is not confined to an office with an 8 am to 5 pm schedule. The future of work is flexible work arrangements.
Flexible work arrangements could be anything that allows employees to work at their own schedule, where to do it, and how to do so. This includes flextime, compressed work week, split shifts, job sharing, or remote work. To do this effectively, it is assumed that the organization has definite objectives and targets, their people managers understand what their teams need to deliver, and employees are self-driven and can work unsupervised. Even before the pandemic, there were some organizations that have implemented flexible working arrangements. These organizations are output-driven, and focused on training their managers with the tools and skills in planning, monitoring, and motivating their teams.
BENEFITS FOR THE EMPLOYER
ONE tangible benefit for an employer is the reduced overhead cost including rent for office space, utilities, and Internet access. Of course, this will not work for large organizations where employees come and go throughout the week. But you can limit the days when employees go to the office so that overhead costs are minimized. For small organizations, you can get a co-working space or a room for client meetings, and a storage facility for your tools and supplies.
Time saved on commute can be used by employees to upskill themselves using online courses, to prepare for scheduled meetings, or even finish their deliverables. Your employees will not only have the time but also the energy to do more things for themselves and for their work. This translates to better productivity and opportunities to improve their work efficiency while providing them more time for their personal necessities.
This results in better work-life balance for employees because they have more time to work on the things they love doing. When employees have more time for their personal life and other interests, it recharges them. When employees can take care of other aspects of their life, they are more likely to do more for work and increase their productivity.
Having flexible working arrangements also helps your organization employ a diverse range of employees who cannot get a job because of family obligations, physical disability, social anxiety, or even location. You broaden your hiring base by opening your doors to people who cannot go to the office physically, but whose experiences and skills outweigh current applicants. Flexible work arrangements will help you tap the best talents and create a diverse and inclusive team, all from the comforts of their own homes.
And of course, the most significant advantage is the retention of talent within the organization. A flexible work arrangement increases an employee’s satisfaction because it accords them the freedom to manage their own time at their own pace. But this
also means that an employee is also more likely to transfer to an organization that offers flexible working arrangements. Some organizations even use it as a selling point during hiring because more and more employees see it as a significant factor when deciding.
Benefits for the employees
FLEXIBLE working arrangements also help the employees in terms of reducing the cost of transportation. Whether you commute or drive your own car, the rising costs of gasoline has made it more expensive to travel. Having the option to work remotely will significantly reduce travel expenses and the money saved can be used for other necessities.
Employees can also create a work timetable that allows them to schedule personal obligations around work demands. It is especially helpful for employees who have kids, a family member to take care of, or for people who live far from the office. Having this flexibility in schedule helps reduce burnout and overload.
Also, an employee can work during the times of day when they are most productive and take advantage of their energy cycles. This is especially helpful to creatives whose downtime is an opportunity to find inspiration. And since employees create their own schedules, this will reduce absenteeism and even tardiness.
Another benefit is that employees are empowered to do their work the best way they know how without sacrificing productivity or efficiency. This will only work when organizations have a clear understanding of their targets and what their clients need. I realize that most of the organizations that are doubtful of flexible working arrangements are those that do not have clear measures and indicators of their goals, or who have not clearly communicated their organization’s desired results. But when employees understand their role in the organization and have aligned their personal goals with the organization’s, it gives them the motivation they need to succeed even without supervision.
In the end, the efficacy of any type of work arrangement depends largely on the kind of people managers within your organization. Top executives need to mentor their managers on how to effectively reign in their team when they are working remotely. People managers, on the other hand, need to upgrade themselves on the available tools and techniques in managing their team’s output and behavior so they can coach their team when needed.
People managers need to understand that just because they do not see their people working does not mean they are not working. Flexible work arrangements enable the organization to provide a conducive and safe working environment for their workforce, while empowering their employees to critically think and creatively develop solutions to meet their targets.
Image credits: Bonnie Kittle on Unsplash