5 Steps to Flexible Working

I recently shared the results we’d received from introducing flexible working at BIG. Many congratulated us, but more importantly, they enquired how we went about it. When a single change increases employee happiness, productivity, and is essentially free to implement, how could you not consider it?

I firmly believe that flexible working benefits both the individuals and the business in a myriad of ways. So, to aid that cause, I’ve listed the key steps I went through to help others on the journey.

1.      Find the hook

Firstly, you need a hook – a reason for implementing flexible working. Whilst it’s backed by a plethora of statistics, science and success stories, you need to uncover the reason that it’s right for you. All organisations are unique and the motives for flexibility in one may be entirely different from how it would benefit another. A customised hook will form the basis of your business case.

How do you find the hook? Think about problems the company faces, and whether flexibility would positively influence these. Perhaps you struggle to attract candidates as your competitors offer more attractive packages. Maybe you have high attrition as your staff are unhappy. Does your company suffer from a poor culture? Do you work in an industry that makes work-life balance a struggle? 

Often the most challenging part of introducing flexibility (and any change project) is persuading decision-makers that this is a positive, worthwhile initiative. If there’s no discernible reason beyond “Well everyone else is doing it,” it dilutes your campaign and fails to present a personalised incentive for the proposal. Do your homework and assess current challenges to see there’s a case for flexibility. Staff engagement surveys, competitor analysis, EVP assessment, HR or recruitment metrics could give you the evidence you need.

2.      Get the buy-in

After flexibility is embedded, it’s hard to imagine life before. However, when it’s an alien concept, it can be perceived as a monumental shift for the business. As such, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to covertly roll it out and will, therefore, need top-level approval. Whilst this is required from a process point of view, it’s so much more than a box-ticking exercise.

Senior management can make or break the success of flexible working. If they whole-heartedly support it, encourage it, believe in the benefits and showcase the new way of working, staff will feel much more comfortable adopting it. If they secretly resent it, staff sense this and it will fail. So, leverage the sound and compelling hook you’ve identified to not only get a seal of approval but the personal investment you will need to deploy it effectively.

At this stage, it’s essential to unearth any resistance or scepticism. Invite opposing views, concerns and criticisms. Challenge beliefs where appropriate and note any highlighted risks so you can prepare contingencies. People instinctively flinch at change, especially if there are themes of presenteeism or low trust, so this is your chance to let these issues breathe and be incorporated into your strategy.

3.      Sharpen the axe

When I was undertaking this project, I came across a quote that impacted my approach:

“If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe.”

Abraham Lincoln

Simply put, spend more time prepping and your execution will be smoother.

When designing your flexible working plan, do your research. There are various configurations including formal, informal, flexi-time, homeworking, condensed hours, 9-day fortnights - the list goes on. Determine what would work best for your business.

You will also have to assess if a one-size-fits-all approach is appropriate or if the level of flexibility will alter depending on certain roles, departments or locations. How will it impact customer-facing jobs? Will clients still be able to reach you when they need you? What about people working part-time or bespoke hours? What technology do you need to support home-working or time governance? How will you ensure the health and safety of staff working away from the office? How will you monitor it? Do you need a policy?

There is a lot of due diligence to be done and it’s no mean feat, however, the more carefully you examine the practicalities, the easier the launch will be. 

I’m not one for overly complicated, bureaucratic processes so as a rule of thumb I would suggest keeping any supporting policies as simple as possible with a healthy dose of common sense.

4.      Soundcheck

OK, once you have formed the outline, it’s time to soundcheck it. Start with key stakeholders to ensure if they’re happy with the plan, but after that, engage an inclusive audience across the business.

Check how comfortable people managers will feel with their team working in a new way. What will the impact be for them? Invite any concerns you may have missed. How will it affect people at different levels in different jobs? Will it make their lives easier or harder? Does it seem fair? Would it be well received?

You still have this window to make adjustments so gather as much feedback as possible and fine-tune accordingly.

As a side note, a common concern may be “If my people are working more flexibly, how can I ensure their performance doesn’t decline?” It’s a fair point however this comes down to the trust between managers and staff. If you can’t trust that your employee works well when they are no longer seated next to you between 9 and 5, this may be unconscious presenteeism. If your employee’s work ethic is unsatisfactory, this is a performance issue, not a flexible working one. 

5.      Trial, roll and measure

Finally, it’s time to launch flexible working. I would recommend trialling it with a test group initially before going company-wide. Again, this allows you to nip any issues in the bud before an official roll-out.

Communication is key. Provide guidance, training and FAQs to ensure everyone is comfortable about how it should work. Seek regular feedback and find ways to measure the adoption rate and impact on the staff and business. This could be through qualitative discussions, staff engagement surveys, productivity metrics or the bottom line.

In my view, flexible working is a dynamic process. As with any business strategy, it should evolve with the changing needs of the company and its workforce. Continue to monitor, measure and adapt it for consistent benefits.

I hope this has been helpful for those considering flexible working and shed some light on the key steps involved.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I would love to hear your thoughts on flexible working. 

#flexibleworking