How flexible working creates positive self-esteem

A?healthy self-esteem is crucial for maintaining mental well-being and forming healthy relationships.? In the workplace poor self-esteem often leads to self-doubt, fear of change and unproductive behaviour such as defensiveness, rebelliousness or over compliance. ?

Flexible working is an essential enabler of a healthy self-esteem.

Self-esteem is the overlap of our ideal self (how we would like to be) and our self image (how we evaluate ourselves).

A busy parent might define their ideal self as:

“I am always present for my children, supporting them, especially during their most challenging life moments”

But, their self image might be:

“I struggle to be available of my children, I have conflicting commitments with work, family and friends, and I always having to make compromises.”

Rolling out flexible working solutions like Verint TimeFlex has been the most rewarding experience of my career.? Regularly (with every new customer) agents will tell us how much flexibility has changed their lives.? The stories are both heart warming and heart breaking.? It is heart warming to witness and feel the gratitude as the agents share their stories with tears in their eyes.? It is heart breaking to think that the employee has been suffering unnecessarily due to an outdated work practices.

This emotional response to genuine flexibility invariably is connected to a return of a positive self-esteem.? “I am now able to be the parent that I always wanted to be”.

Flexible working is empowering.? Agents feel (often for the first time) that they have control over their lives.? They are now able to be the father, mother, friend they have always wanted to be. ?

A workforce with a healthy self-esteem makes better decisions, communicates effectively, has better interpersonal relationships with colleagues, and is receptive to change. And flexibility is the key enabler.