Flexibility in the workplace: how to benefit?

After the global disaster that is the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses closed their physical offices and started working remotely as a matter of caution. But the process made one thing clear; remote offices are incredibly efficient, and they are here to stay. As the number of people working from their homes increased, flexibility became the norm among today’s businesses. It’s clear that providing employees with enough autonomy to decide on their own working schedule helps both companies and employees become more productive and optimistic about their job. 

Flexibility helps workplaces, but there are important things to consider before implementing complete flexibility in your business. Here’s how you can benefit from a flexible working environment;

Flexibility goes beyond the house

Remote offices and people working from home are the driving force behind the increasing flexibility in workplaces, but they are not the only reason. Even companies still working in their physical offices or companies that started to make their way back to offices need to focus on flexibility in the workplace. It comes with great benefits for employers like increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, improved morale and improved staff retention. These spaces provide employees with an environment that fulfils their work-life needs without imposing restrictions on them. 

To create a work environment that provides flexibility for your employees, you can start focusing on leaving old office designs behind and modernizing your office. You can create comfortable spaces for your employees to catch their breath, consider different modes of work in your office while designing your work environment and choose the right furniture for that. So, create spaces that are suitable for teamwork, add multipurpose presentation rooms to your office space, and prioritize the solitude and peace of your employees in their individual working spaces. 

Benefit the autonomy

For the employees, flexibility comes with one significant benefit; the ability to choose whenever, wherever, and however they work as long as they keep delivering their goals. This autonomy provided by flexible working helps workers create their own schedules that fit them the best and let them perform at their maximum potential. This ability to shift their programs as they like may seem a bit threatening and frustrating for employers since it can lead to absenteeism and inefficient working hours. But shifting your employee evaluation processes from competency-based assessments to goal-based evaluations, you can encourage your team to form their working schedule while still meeting their goals. This will increase your team’s productivity, but it will also positively affect their morale and motivation since they feel valued in their company and play active roles in decision-making. 

Access to a broader range of talents 🎖️

According to research by timewise, 84% of male full-time employees and 91% of female full-time employees either work in a flexible work environment or want to work in a flexible environment

93% of the people that are not currently working state that they would prefer to get a part-time or a flexible job. Even though the desire for flexible work environments is high, only 9.8% of the listed jobs are advertised as flexible positions.¹So, by addressing this demand and using the charm of flexible working in your hiring process, you can reach out to valuable talents that are in need of flexible working environments. For example, parents who cannot work in an office job can easily join a workforce that prioritizes flexibility and encourages employees autonomy. 

Improve flexibility in your workplace with Kolay

With modern and easy solutions for complex HR processes, Kolay helps businesses remotely manage their workforces and create a flexible work environment. Be it a physical office or remote work, defining the boundaries of flexibility and keeping track of your employees may require some external help, and Kolay is there for you with countless useful features. With Kolay, you can easily track your employee records from anywhere, track company expenses, manage shifts, overtime, and compensation, and stay engaged with your workforce with the help of 360-degree feedback. Visit our website to explore all of Kolay’s features and start your free demo now!

Sources

1-https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/flexible-working-key-facts-for-employers.pdf