The trouble with flexible working...

A recent study by Vodaphone found that 75% of companies worldwide have introduced flexible working practises. The perceived benefits highlighted by this large scale survey were striking. Of those surveyed 61% of respondents said their company's profits increased as a result of flexible working, 83% reported an improvement in productivity and 58% believed that flexible working policies positively impacted their organisations reputation. With the market shifting in the past few years to adopt a more flexible approach, it's never more important to ensure that we are are considering these benefits in our own organisations.

In recruitment we are pretty lucky to live in a digital age where so much sourcing, advertising and talent mapping can be done remotely. We have tools available to us like SKYPE and Facetime as well as hot desking for face to face interviews and handy little portable laptops to work at café’s in between client meetings. It’s a great age we live in for flexibility.

Often I talk to employees and companies seeking more flexibility. What I've learnt through these discussions though, is that the trouble with flexible working is that it means something different to everyone. It's not a one size fits all approach. Flexible working isn't just for parents who have children or women returning to work after maternity leave- if you dig a little deeper with people almost everyone is seeking some sort of flexibility or “give and take” with their employer.

I was chatting to a manager recently about flexibility who spoke to me about the kind of trust required for a flexible workplace and that it is earnt through a person’s ability to consistently deliver on outcomes. He had negotiated an arrangement with his employer where he was provided accommodation one night a week and working from home one day per week in order to account for the fact he lived two hours away. Now technically, this isn’t something an employer “has” to do, but rather it’s something they choose to do because they recognise making certain allowances for the right employee can save them millions on a project where that employee is able to add value in their role.

On another note I’ve interviewed Project Directors who do drive in drive out or fly in fly out arrangements and I’ve seen some organisations knock these people back based on the notion that it sets a precedent for other employees or that it’s just not what they do. It left me thinking- what does workplace flexibility really mean? How can we check in with our employees and see what sort of flexibility is important to them to keep them engaged?

1-?????Find out what matters to them personally

Talk to your employees about what is important to them outside of work- When you are having regular weekly check ins or even during the review period, get to know your employees and what matters to them. Do they have a childs soccer practise they like to go to every Thursday? Are they really committed to an organisation such as NAWIC or working as a volunteer firefighter where they require later hours and can work back on occasion? Perhaps they are a professional athlete with a fitness regime in the mornings? Do they get swamped with people at end of month and just need a day at home to catch up every week on their paperwork??Don’t make assumptions about flexibility that everyone wants the same thing. It’s not a one size fits all model.

2-?????Focus on the outcome and not the clock

Adopt a more outcomes focused approach. Do you really need your employee sitting at their desk to know they are working? Those sort of ideologies around workplace productivity are outdated and registered in the industrial age where people had to clock in and clock off on a machine. What do you really need your employees to produce? End of month reports? If there’s a deadline for it does it really matter if they are logging on at 9pm at night after a netball game? A good employee will want to produce the right outcomes in their role and you can’t buy the kind of loyalty you get from trusting your people to deliver.

Creating workplace flexibility with your employees creates a kind of loyalty and longevity that salary alone can’t provide. If you think of the amount of money a productive and efficient employee makes an organisation on an annual basis and the cost of replacing a position, it’s a small price to pay for consistent performance.