How companies can manage flexible working
A new YouGov survey for fast-food chain MacDonald's suggests working 9am to 5pm is becoming a thing of the past, with just 6 per cent of people in the UK now working traditional office hours.
The survey highlighted that almost half of people worked flexibly with arrangements such as job sharing or compressed hours, allowing them to juggle other commitments.
Adrian Lewis, Director at Activ Absence says a change in the law in 2014 that allowed people to request flexible working after 26 weeks of employment, as well as the increased use of technology and Wifi is leading to more people working flexibly and there is no need for them to be in the office to work.
Research by HSBC[i] at the end of 2017 found that flexible and remote working practices are more likely to motivate staff and increase workplace productivity than financial incentives.
However, Adrian Lewis warns that flexible working must be managed properly to ensure businesses are as productive when people are away from the office. Some of his tips for companies' managers are:
- Make employees aware of what’s expected of them in terms of activity or performance, especially if working from home. Also agree how they can be contacted and expectations around communication – i.e. a daily phone call at the start of the day if working at home.
- Employees must understand they are still part of a team. Regular meetings and team events that involve everyone are a good idea to ensure people feel involved.
- Agree weekly or monthly work schedules with deadlines and make it clear these must be met even if people are working remotely.
- Good communication at all times is important and must be maintained between employee and line manager/teams members even when they are working away from the office.
- Technology is enabling flexible working. Companies can use of tools such as instant messaging and webcams to keep in touch with employees. Working at home can be isolating so this can also help to maintain an ‘office’ environment.
- Ensure those working away from the office still feel part of the team and are rewarded and praised in the same way for tasks well done. Equally providing a supportive environment and taking time to understand if deadlines aren’t met is also important.
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