Flexible working trends hitting an office near you

We have seen an acceleration in the adoption of flexible working; businesses are changing their approach to how, where, and when their employees work and this is proving to be beneficial to them both.

How you work

A form of agile working, gives employees the freedom to manage their in a way that works for them and are helping organisations to attract and retain talented employees.

Many employers who have seen the benefits of flexible working practices are just as keen to adopt new technologies, which can enhance capabilities for flexible work and increase the happiness of their employees.

Businesses such as Google, are taking this idea a step further and introducing gaming spaces to their workplace. Not only does it give employees the opportunity to unwind and socialise, but it also makes it possible to structure training programmes in an engaging and innovative way.

Where You Work

A combination of new technologies and changing attitudes is giving people the opportunity to work in different places and avoid lengthy commutes.

Advances in Wi-Fi, mobile devices and Cloud storage make it easy for employees to access information and complete their work from anywhere at any time, making it possible for people to work from home, offsite at a hot-desk or even during their commute.

Despite growing freedom from the workplace, it is likely to remain a hub of operations if developed into a dynamic work space that employees want to come to. Break-out rooms, creative hubs, social areas and focused work pods, like those incorporated into JustGiving’s new workplace, are equipped with power outlets and WiFi to help create spaces that enhance employee work.

Their imaginative approach to structuring the workplace gives employees the flexibility to move around and work on or offsite in whichever environment best suits them. By creating a vibrant and diverse workplace it attracts more productive, happy employees with creative ideas.

When you work

Even when employees love their job, conforming to set work hours every day can be a source of stress, particularly for employees with family commitments. Most employees put in extra hours every week and a lack of flexibility from employers can easily become a source of frustration and disappointment.

Employers who facilitate flexible hours, either through split-shifts, job shares or variable hours contracts, make it easier for employees to work independently and do a good job in the hours that work best for them.

This freedom places responsibility onto the employee to manage their own workload and ensure they are achieving a healthy work/life balance. Although employers are now legally required to offer such a scheme, some companies are extending those freedoms above and beyond their legal requirements.

Companies such as Netflix and Virgin are building their empires on the premise that when employees feel good, the whole business is good too and as a result, they now offer their employees unlimited amounts of annual leave. Due to this policy, staff “morale, creativity and productivity have all gone through the roof.”