How can I introduce flexible working arrangements?

Retaining and keeping staff motivated pays dividends to any business. More and more organisations are also looking to reduce costs and become more efficient with resources. Flexible working not only means flexibility in when we work, but can also refer to where – and even how – we work.

Is flexible working right for my business?

With options including combinations of compressed hours, job sharing, shift work, seconding staff to other organisations, working from home, or even career breaks, it’s an area that requires deep consideration for every company.

The Business Benefits of Flexible Working

Businesses adopting flexible working practices find that it is not a compromise strategy. It improves staff motivation, recruitment and retention. It also leads to greater customer satisfaction, increased productivity, reduced sickness, and greater cost-effectiveness.

As the number of organisations offering flexible working policies increases, you may find it makes you an employer of choice, attracting a more skilled and diverse workforce.

The considerations of flexible working

Despite its apparent advantages, flexible working is not something to be rushed into. A carefully considered approach will ensure a smooth and positive transition. These considerations include estimating in advance:

How will your quality of service be affected?
What will be the impact on service delivery?
What core hours do you want employees to work?
What success measurements can you implement, and how will these be monitored?
What equipment will distance workers require?
What will the impact be on employees who do not want to work flexibly?
What will be the benefits to your clients – and customers?

Implementing flexible working

Once you have answered these questions, there are a few hurdles you will need to overcome before implementing the new procedure:

Executive buy-in – Step one is agreement and support at the highest levels. Convince your CEO and board of the business benefits.
Staff buy-in – This is by no means automatic if it is a process forced upon staff with no prior consultation. Take the time to find out exactly what your employees want.
Inspire managers – Managers may suspect this is just a holiday in another guise. Make sure they understand the benefits and inspire them to motivate enthusiasm and encourage loyalty in employees working flexibly.
Start with a pilot scheme. Fine-tune your policy over the first three to six months. Make it clear from the outset that this is a pilot period and that things may change if necessary to business needs. Encourage feedback from managers and staff.
Introduce guidelines – Detail what you have learnt throughout the pilot period into a simple set of ground rules to help avoid confusion and prevent problems from arising in future.
Review regularly – Review progress against your goals and make necessary tweaks to ensure continued smooth running.

Well-implemented flexible working might not only improve business performance but can also help with staff retention, mental health, and employer brand reputation and make you more resilient against future pandemics, recessions and disasters.

For more information on Flexible working trends and plans download Monster’s free report “Flexible Future”.