This week is Flexible Working Week, which encourages both employees and employers to get involved in flexible working. To mark the occasion, I thought I’d bring you some key stats which to me demonstrate the importance of flexible working to today’s modern worker.
Firstly, let me start by saying I’m lucky to work in an organisation which actively embraces and encourages flexible working. I have access to the right technology which enables me to access everything I need from any device, so when I’m working from home I can still carry out anything from video editing to blogging on my bog standard laptop. The importance of being able to work flexibly can’t be overstated and it has genuinely improved my work-life balance. This is a sentiment echoed by my colleague Martin in his recent blog.
But not everyone works for a company who see the benefits of flexible working. Despite countless surveys indicating that remote workers are more productive, including one this month where 86% of remote workers say they are more productive, a lot of companies aren’t for flexible working.
Some think working from home is just an excuse for a lazy day sat at home on the sofa. To me this is a ridiculous way to think as this lack of trust only serves to create negative cultures in companies. This mistrust stops a lot of people actually working remotely as they are concerned about how they are perceived; for example, 58% of workers are offered flexible working but only 34% of these take it due to worries about how co-workers and their bosses will view them (source: powwownow.co.uk).
These misconceptions about remote working are unfortunately quite common (read more about them here). But it doesn’t mean it’s right or that cultures of mistrust will continue. The tide is definitely turning and those who don’t embrace flexible working will be left behind. Take for example a recent case where a worker at the Department for Work and Pensions was awarded over £35,000 after a tribunal ruled that his employers didn’t cater to his need for flexible working due to his depression. Stories like this are bad for organisations reputations and they will struggle to attract and keep good talent.
Whatever your view is on flexible work, whether you think it’s a good think or a bad thing there’s no denying that the demand for it will continue to rise. Simply put its what employees really want. You can give them free stuff at work and put a pool table in the break out area but they’ll really value the trust and flexibility that working remotely gives them.
What Employees Want
Here are a few stats that help back up the importance of flexible working to users AND will hopefully show employers why they need to implement it if they aren’t already:
1. 89% of British workers believe that flexible working would boost their productivity (source: ft.com)
2. 73% of employees said flexible working has increased their job satisfaction and 78% said it has actually made them more productive (zenefits.com)
3. 67% of employees wish they were offered flexible working (source: powwownow.co.uk)
4. 70% of worker are more attracted to a job if it offers flexible working (source: powwownow.co.uk)
5. 75% of millennials would rather work for a company that offered flexible working even preferring it to a pay rise (source: recruitment-international.co.uk)
6. In smaller companies flexible working is offered more with 67% of small businesses offering some form of flexible working (zenefits.com)
7. 39% of remote workers work extra hours to complete tasks compared to 24% who only work in an office environment (source: ciphr.com)
8. 45% of workers spending over an hour commuting each day, surely this time be spent elsewhere? (source: powwownow.co.uk)
9. 82% of remote workers’ state that working away from the office helps reduce their stress levels (source: flexjobs.com)
THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY
As mentioned above I’m fortunate enough to work at a company where we have the technology to give access to all files, data and applications from any device. However, for some companies not having the right technology can be a barrier which is stopping them offering remote working options to their staff. Lack of IT budget to kit users out with hardware needed to work remotely may have been a reason in the past but with the rise in BYOD schemes it means you can let users leverage their own technology to work remotely. It’s a win win situation.
For more information about implementing a flexible working solution please get in touch with us today.
