A bit of myth busting around flexible working

Here at That Works For Me we eat, sleep and breathe flexible working. It’s our normal, our constant, our passion. But can that be said for every business and organisation? 

Sadly, the answer is probably not yet. But we know this is changing and we are determined to support this, day by day and one step at a time. 

Flexible working matters 

It’s almost been 2 decades since the UK Government first introduced the right to request flexible working for parents and carers (2003). We were in our twenties…and, a little bit more than a bit oblivious to this. We don’t remember anything in the news, or on social media. And, to be honest, we really didn’t care. We were new graduates with our whole careers ahead of us. We had few responsibilities in life and could work whatever hours the job required without needing to give it a second thought!  

Fast forward another (ahem) 15 years (and a few more) and things couldn’t be more different. Not only do we have multiple small people hanging off our every word (and limb!), we need to be able to provide them with support and manage childcare around our careers. 

And, more than that, we want to work. We want a career.

Why isn’t everyone working flexibly? 

So…nearly 20 years later why isn’t flexible working the norm? 

Everyone (yes, EVERYONE), regardless of having small people, now has the legal right to request flexible working. Wonderful! 

So, you would assume flexible working requests have gone up, right? 

Wrong. Since 2010 the percentage of the UK workforce adopting smarter ways of working has not raised above 27 per cent (according to CIPD). This is baffling. And we, at That Works For Me, want to know why. We want a better understanding of why employers aren’t embracing flexible working and all the wonderful benefits that go with it! 

Flexible working myth busting

Having chatted to some of our lovely business clients, there are still some weird myths are lurking around and we want to put them to bed.

Myth 1: Productivity will decrease 

How many of you, as employers, have worried about offering flexible working as you feel it will affect productivity and profit? Come on, be honest...

Your worries are unfounded. And we can prove it.

A survey by HSBC report into the technology sector found that 89% of respondents cited flexible working as a motivation to be more productive at work.

A study looking at 16,000 Chinese workers conducted by Stanford University economics professor Nicholas Bloom found those allowed to work flexibly from home increased their productivity by 13% they reported higher work satisfaction and took less sick leave than their office-bound counterparts.

And if you need any more proof, take a leaf out of Microsoft Japan’s book. They have recently trialled the 4 day working week (amazing) and they watched productivity increase by a whopping 40%  as well as recording less sickness and higher motivation. This doesn’t even touch on the environmental benefits - less paper consumption (23%) and less electricity used (59%). For you employers out there, that’s less overheads. Double bonus! 

Put simply, giving employees the option to work flexibly is kinder to the environment, boosts staff morale, aids health and well-being and ultimately increases productivity. It's a no-brainer, surely?

Myth 2: Flexible working will cost your business more

We get it. Small and medium businesses have to watch every penny - we're in the same boat! Taking a punt on flexible working feels like a risk you just don’t want to take. 

But we are strong believers that flexible working won’t cost you any more. In fact, you are likely to save money. You just have to look bigger picture.

Satisfied staff are more likely to hang around, therefore reducing turnover and recruitment costs. Equally if you’re seen as a business that actively promotes flexible working then you should start shouting it from the roof tops. Word travels fast and soon you will have a bigger pool of talent to choose from you'll hire faster. 

Myth 3: ‘Flexible working’ means ‘unproductive’

If you’re paying someone to work for you, you need results. We get that! Flexible working doesn’t change this. 

The perception still exists that if you aren’t physically at your desk between 9am to 5pm then you aren’t doing your job. Not true! Some of the biggest time wasters I've ever met are the ones that did sit at their desk from 9am to 5pm.

These days, only 6% of the workforce still work from 9am to 5pm? Shocker, hey?! 

Shifting this misconception requires a culture change. And it's one that needs to be championed by senior leaders demonstrating flexible working practices from the top down.

I challenge you to do it. Be that leader. Talk about dropping your children off at school. Be vocal about taking your grandmother to collect her pension.

We’re all people and we all have important stuff outside of work. 

That Works For Me can help

We launched our That Works For Me platform two months ago and we have in the region of 700 people actively looking for flexible roles or projects. We are living proof of the wealth of talent that exists in a population that don't fit the 9 to 5.

You can become one of those employers who busts the myths and takes that big brave step towards flexible working. Trust us (and the abundance of research), your employees will be happier and healthier, but just as ambitious and still have that thirst to do well, perform and progress. 

Register with us now and find incredible people to help your business. 

*Slightly different rules apply for Northern Ireland

About Me

Throughout my career I have held a number of senior positions. Following the birth of my first child in 2014, I returned to work after 5 months working 4 days a week. However the late night Board meetings, early conference calls and travel around a 600-strong team took it’s toll on me and my baby so when I fell pregnant with my second child, I felt compelled to leave. 

 A year later I was a bored Mum of two with no direction. I was speaking to more and more mums just like me. They had been CFO’s, Account Directors, marketing experts and consultants - all forced from the marketplace because their companies couldn’t accommodate a non-Monday-to-Friday-9-to-5 model. One friend, an ex-CMO, was considering working in a local shop two days a week. It was exasperating to see so much experience and talent go to waste.

 A solution came via a friend who runs a hugely successful business. She had run into financial issues because her finance team weren’t reporting cash flow correctly. I asked why she didn’t have a CFO to which she responded that couldn’t afford one and wasn’t big enough to warrant it. 

 “Why not hire a mum who’s done it before, but only wants a day a week?” I suggested. 

 And so, That Works For Me was born. 

Together with Nicola have created and built a platform that brings together skilled professional people in need of flexible work with businesses in need of skilled professionals on a less than full time basis. I strive to be in a world where people can be honest and upfront their family life knowing businesses are accepting of this and will still make use of them for the time they need, at an appropriate and proportionate salary. 

This is just my story, but I would love to hear yours. Whether you are someone who is already embracing the flexible working lifestyle, or looking to do so, or if you are a business who already sees the benefits of flexible working please get in touch.