Is your organisation your flexible friend?

Published by Broadlands1 for Broadlands in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Education, Environment, Health, Local Government

Flexible working – what is it? On a personal level, it’s all about encouraging a better work-life balance for employees, and at a business level, realising the potential of your assets (staff, equipment, accommodation) more effectively.

Essentially, it involves challenging the traditional ways in which people work, and considering how technological advances can be used to help give businesses and people more ways to achieve their work objectives. So this might include:

• arranging conference calls, video conferencing, etc, rather than requiring people to travel to meetings
• allowing staff to work from home or another location where appropriate, rather than travel into the office every day
• adopting a flexible approach to when and how work is done - it may suit some staff (and the business) if some work were carried out in the early morning, in the evening or at weekends.

Using advances in technology, some organisations have taken steps such as installing Virtual Private networks (VPN) so staff can work at home just as efficiently as they could in the office, using wireless laptops, or using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony, all of which enable a much more flexible approach which kicks the ‘9 to 5 sat at a desk’ image out of the window.

Benefits to organisations can be huge. Some employers have realised that by using suitable technology, they don’t even need an office at all, or can make massive cost savings using a much smaller number of hot desk solutions, reducing overheads, or expanding without the need for more space. They can even attract a higher calibre of staff by offering more flexible opportunities, so encouraging a more motivated and productive workforce, with less absenteeism and a better retention rate.

But why would this be good for you? If you’re one of the millions of working parents or people with other family care commitments, you’ll know how essential it can be to have an understanding employer from time to time, or you may just want to spend more time at home instead of travelling. You may live a considerable distance from your office and have long daily journeys – so perhaps the opportunity to work from home, either occasionally or permanently, could really appeal to you – saving time, money and stress (so your organisation will gain too, as a result). New technology might not even be necessary - flexible working could just mean coming into the office later, working more flexible hours or using existing equipment such as laptops, blackberries and mobile phones.

For most organisations, the biggest factor in adopting flexible working practices is not the technology or costs, but the change in culture required to trust employees whilst they are not under direct supervision. Flexible working isn't for everyone - some employees enjoy the office environment and need the interaction with colleagues or would find it difficult to motivate themselves if they were at home, so if it’s something you’d like to introduce, start gradually and take flexible working one step at a time.

The important thing with flexible working is that both the employer and employee are committed to it and determined to make it work. If the cultural barriers can be overcome, the rewards for your organisation and you as an individual are substantial.

For more information on implementing flexible working solutions for your organisation, visit www.broadlandsconsulting.com or call us on 01543 220752.