Workplace flexibility is now an employee expectation
Four out of five workers say hybrid work and flexible hours are important to them
The pandemic has had a lasting impact on how we work and where we work. Hybrid working is now the new normal, and while there was an adjustment period as people started to return to the office, employers and employees are generally happy with the balance that has been achieved.
In fact, hybrid work and flexible hours are now an expected and welcome part of working life for most employees. We found:
- 83% of employees say supporting flexible hours is important when considering whether to change jobs
- 76% say supporting hybrid/remote working is important when considering changing jobs
- 64% are satisfied at the approach their employer has towards flexible hours
- 63% are satisfied at the approach their employer has towards hybrid working
We are also happier with hybrid and flexible working arrangements, with only 17% saying they are negatively impacted by isolation and a lack of contact. This is down from 31% two years ago.
Understandably, flexibility is important to women, but it’s not just women who value it. Those more likely to value hybrid/remote work and flexible hours are senior and middle management and workers in companies with more than 500 employees.
It's important you get your policy right
While hybrid work and flexible hours are now common in most workplaces, it is critical that you get your policy right.
Over two thirds of workplaces support both hybrid work and flexible hours, but only half have policies and only one in five have changed them.
And while two thirds of employees are satisfied with the approach their employer has taken to both hybrid work and flexible hours, only 15% say their workplace’s policy was good, fair, and had no problems. The number was even lower when it came to flexible hours.
What can you do?
Hybrid working and flexible hours offer both employers and employees many benefits. Employees now expect to have the option to work either from home or at the office, and to have the flexibility to be able to work hours that allow them to better meet other obligations.
While every workplace is different, to retain and attract talent you need to be thinking about how you can increase the flexibility of your workplace and support your team to have the option of working from home if this is possible.
But in doing this, you need to develop a clear policy that sets out your organisation’s approach to hybrid/remote working and flexible hours and which clearly outlines expectations so that everyone knows what is acceptable and what is not. You also need to ensure this policy is applied fairly and consistently across your team.
Practical Solutions and Resources
Training courses
Assertiveness and Effective Communication
Assertiveness is the middle ground between passivity and aggressiveness. While passivity can lead to unnecessary stress, aggressiveness can lead to fractured relationships.
Improving your assertiveness skills will benefit yourself, your team and your organisation. You’ll learn about your current level of assertiveness and be given the tools necessary to communicate more directly and effectively.
- Increase your self-awareness in your interactions with others.
- Improve your ability to observe the rights of others and stand up for your own rights.
- Foster better relationships with your team and within your organisation by communicating more effectively and directly.
Motivating Teams for High Performance
Everyone can benefit from understanding more about self-motivation and how to motivate others, but this workshop is particularly suited to those in a new team leader or management role. It also acts as a useful refresher for more experienced managers.
- Identify extrinsic and intrinsic motivators within your staff.
- Activate the motivators to get the best out of your team.
- Improve your people leadership and management skills.
- Maximise people’s performance in the achievement of goals and targets.
- Build a better work culture with a people focus.
eLearning modules
Workstation Setup
Learn how to set up your desks to prevent aches and pains, plus, gain an understanding around the consequences of not following healthy workstation practices.
- Know what a healthy workstation set up looks like.
- Know the things you need to improve in your own workstation set up.
- Understand the consequences of not following healthy workstation practices.
Online Meeting Fatigue
Online meeting fatigue is something many of us are experiencing at the moment as we continue to work from home and at a distance from our colleagues.
Understanding what causes online meeting fatigue and how it can be minimised is a great way to rebalance your relationship with communication technology and make remote working practices more effective and sustainable. This micromodule will help you get there with the following learning outcomes:
Learn how to make working from home work for you by applying sustainable, intentional and smart work practices.
Webinar
The Workplace Revolution: Why the 9 to 5 is so last century
This webinar presents a deep dive into more flexible working arrangements, exploring the pros and cons and asks the question, is it right for your business?
- Charlotte Lockhart, Co-Founder, 4 Day Week
- Dr Ellen Joan Ford, Founder, #workschoolhours
- Pam Roa, Managing Director, Longveld Ltd
- Brett O’riley, Former CEO, EMA
Available now.