Flexible Working vs Smarter Working

An observation I have made throughout my career is the "taboo" around flexible working. In my role as talent scout of many businesses over the years, I have always asked "Would you consider someone who wants Part-time/flexible working arrangement?" Time and time again that was met with the answer "NO". Not even a moments consideration on how that hiring manager might be able to make that work... Or how that might open up the search for the "perfect candidate"!

Being a mum now myself, I realise the restraints that naturally occur, because now I have someone in my life who ultimately needs to come first... Whereas that has always been my career previously. I have always been very ambitious and determined to do well in my career, but now I find myself in the situation where I need a role that will allow me to work flexibly in order to be able to continue working. Now everyone's situation is different but we could all use a bit more me/family time. There are so many studies out there that have proven a healthy, happy mind makes for a better employee...

I am not going to harper on about the challenges of childcare (although I could for hours) or how expensive it is (I mean ridiculous). Instead I am going to focus on business culture. Organisations that do not allow their people to work flexibly (without a change to their contracted hours) is missing a huge trick!

While working at New Look, the Head of HR and I introduced something called SMARTER WORKING. This was a huge cultural shift for the business. In it's simplest form it means moving from managing your people on their presence in the office and instead managing them on their output. This is done through setting your people SMART objectives and making them accountable for the role they have been hired to do. In effect giving them ownership and treating them as an adult... how they achieve those objectives and where, is up to them!

Times have changed, the market has got tougher on all fronts (across all industries) and less forgiving and with the dreaded BREXIT looming over us, there are enough concerns without talent attraction and retention being one. I'm not saying this will solve all of those problems but it is a time to change the way we manage talent, and follow the lead of the best that are already working in this way.

If you have ever read/watched Simon Sinek "Start with why", the idea that employees need purpose to really buy into a business and engage with it. One way to do this is to give them accountability for what they have been hired to do! Manage them on their output, not on their presence in the office. We have all worked in a team where the person who stays latest in the office is viewed as the most committed and ultimately gets promoted based on that perception. The way I look at it is this; if you can't deliver your objectives in the normal 9-5:30pm either they are not realistic and SMART or you aren't working efficiently... Some of the best Leaders I have worked for in the past have been part-time in some form or another and what they have shown me is that you CAN deliver your role flexibly but you have to work SMART. Manage your time effectively and efficiently...

Now more than ever I understand the need to juggle family life and work and try to spin those plates without dropping any (and I am still on mat leave!).

Every business wants to unlock the secret on how to engage and retain their talent - let them be adults and manage their own time - measure them on their output not their presence.