Most of us expect some sort of flexibility. Statistics show the majority of Brits would prefer not to work in the office full time and over half want some sort of hybrid working setup.
But at the same time as poll after poll after poll shows that to be what we want, we’ve got big companies like Amazon and now even Zoom who are clamping down on staff not spending enough time in the office.
But there’s a possibility this approach of cutting back on the work from home freedoms may end up costing companies key members of staff. According to a recent CIPD study, some 4 million British workers have changed careers (not just jobs) in a bid to bag more flexibility.
And the perks of flexibility aren’t just weighted towards the employee. In fact, as a small employer myself, I’ve found that flexible working in terms of both location and hours has plenty of of perks for me too, including:
- You’re not restricted to a small geographic area for your staff. There’s a skill shortage in many areas and you making hiring even tougher for yourself if you can only hire based on a geographic radius to which people can physically reach your office
- People can be more productive if they work when and where they do so the best. Ultimately, as humans, we’re more productive at certain times of day than at others and we work better on certain tasks in certain environments. Letting people work where they work best and when they work best is key for enhanced flexibility
- By establishing flexible working now and getting all your ducks in a row, you stay ahead of the curve. Employees are to have the right to request flexible working from day one of their employment and we can expect more of these requests as time goes on. Having flexible working arrangements and practices in place right now means you can handle these proactively
Ultimately, we’re in an always connected era and, in many roles now, people can do the job from anywhere. Hiring well and hiring those who can be trusted to do the job wherever and whenever they work is paramount, of course. But then again, getting the right people has been critically important since long before the hybrid working revolution.
