Get Flexible: The keys to successful flexible working



Flexible working is the future for a lot of people, with the ability to work when or where is most suitable representing a considerable bonus for a whole host of reasons: For employees it can massively boost work life balance, while employers will be pleased to hear flexible staff are often more productive. Indeed, it can also help cut carbon emissions and boost morale – what’s not to like?

So, with this year’s National Work Life Week (21-25 Sept) coming to an end, a week in which UK workers  were encouraged to consider their own working life and how they might improve it, flexible working was once again thrust into the spotlight. Peter Ames from OfficeGenie.co.uk looks at some of the secrets to success.

What Are the Keys to Successful Flexible Working?

There are many different elements to ensure successful flexible working at your organisation. Here are our top tips.

Flexible working can be a huge attraction to a prospective employee; last year nearly 70% of UK workers who responded to one particular survey said they would like to be more flexible. So, we’d argue the first key to a successful flexible working policy starts on the application form – set out your stall early and see what happens.

Indeed, a key benefit of this is the huge increase in diversity of applications you get when you advertise a role as being flexible. It opens the application process to a multitude of people for whom the rigid structures of a 9-5 role simply are not manageable. Here at Genie we’ve found the variety of applications received has increased incredibly since we started advertising all roles as being both full and part time.

Make sure everyone is aware of the regulations

As of last year everyone in the UK has the right to request the ability to work flexibly, however a much smaller percentage of workers were actually aware of this. So if you’re going to instigate a great flexible working policy – the first step is obviously to make sure all your staff know their rights.

Specifically, every employee has a right to request flexible working in writing, to which an employer must give appropriate thought and discuss it with the board or other senior staff. If flexible terms are arranged the employee’s contract must be amended, or if the application is rejected the employee must be given a right to appeal.

Embrace it

We’d argue this is the key to flexible working – if you’re an employer looking to bring in flexible working, you’ve got to trust employees. Allow staff to empower themselves, set clearly-defined goals and focus on output, meaning that as long as they get the job done no one need worry about when or where they do it.

In fact there’s no data to suggest that an employer shouldn’t trust employees who are working outside of their watchful gaze. Quite the opposite in fact with employees who work flexibly being found to be more productive, happier – healthier even!

Adapt your workspace

If you’re allowing staff to work flexibly then your workplace needs to be able to adapt to shifting numbers and changing faces. The following are all helpful when you’ve got staff working flexibly

  • Strong Wi-Fi: Staff don’t want to be having to turn up and attach a laptop to all sorts of cables after a few days working from home. What’s more, different numbers of people in the office will obviously put differing amounts of strain on your network. To avoid a few cross faces on busier days, get a strong connection that can hold up to the stresses of a full office
  • Clear desks: A clear desk policy is often beneficial for all sorts of reasons, but in this case it avoids people coming into the office and facing a messy desk that’s been left by someone else.
  • Different types of workspace: A lot of people will work from home as it suits their role better than the ‘buzz’ of an office. When or if these employees come into the office it can be particularly beneficial if there are more suitable places for them to work. For example, many editorial staff feel they work better at home, but the benefits of a home office could be replicated by quiet working areas.

Of course, one major advantage of allowing staff to work flexibly is the fact fewer people means fewer desks, which means you’re taking up less space – ultimately you could stand to save money. Ultimately, while flexible working won’t be suitable for all companies, but for the vast majority there could be an awful lot to gain – if you embrace it and do it correctly.


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