Nowadays, company managers can employ various tactics and strategies to enhance employee engagement, motivation, and productivity, all of which can be beneficial both for their workers and their business. One particular strategy that is becoming the norm in almost every business establishment is the adoption of flexible working policies.

In general, flexible working can be defined as a type of working style that gives employees the freedom to choose when, where, and how they work. It differs from the traditional 9-to-5 in-office workday, offering plenty of benefits to both employees and businesses.

Read on to learn about the types and benefits of flexible working as well as the practices and tools businesses can use to make it successful in their work setting.

Photo by Thought Catalog from Unsplash

Types of flexible working

Flexible work schedules are the most common example of workplace flexibility. It is an alternative to the traditional 40-hour work week which allows employees to create their own work schedules and find a work-life balance that best suits their needs. 

In general, there are six different types of flexible working arrangements employees can choose from and these are:

• Hybrid work. This is a combination of in-office, remote, and on-the-go workers.
• Remote work. Allows employees to work from home full-time rather than going to the office.
• Flextime. Offers people the freedom to create their own flexible work schedule that works best for them. 
• Job-sharing. When two or more people share a full-time job, including their responsibilities and tasks.
• Part-time. Refers to working fewer hours than the standard workweek of 40 hours.
• Four-day work week. This is a schedule that allows employees to improve their work-life balance.

The benefits of flexing working 

In addition to boosting employee engagement, productivity and motivation, there are many other benefits flexible working offers both workers and businesses. 

For example, improved employee well-being is one of the greatest advantages of adopting flexible working policies. Sometimes employees have a hard time juggling their job and personal life, leading to exhaustion, stress, and even the development of health problems, all of which can affect their overall work performance.

However, with the autonomy of creating their own work schedule, workers can become more productive, well-rested, and less stressed.

As for businesses, flexible working can help companies attract and retain top talent as well as improve the overall company culture by making the workplace a space where people would like to be.

Flexible working practices

Despite the multiple benefits flexible working offers employees and businesses, it is important that companies employ the best practices so that work performance and results aren’t affected in the long run. Some common and effective policies businesses can include in their flexible working model are setting clear expectations, prioritizing equity at work, not completely ditching structure, and implementing the best technology.

For example, even if your workers have the freedom to choose when, where, and how they work, make sure you still require them to complete their assignments and tasks at the end of the day. Setting such clear expectations to them will help them accomplish their goals, meet their deadlines, and maintain their performance. 

Tools to make flexible working successful

In addition to employing various practices, there are also a few tech tools you can rely on to make flexible working more easier and successful. Some of the best ones include investing in desk booking software, using an employee sign-in system, and implementing room scheduling software.

For example, the desk booking software allows businesses to make the most of their office space by giving workers the freedom to reserve different types of workspaces onsite, as needed. 

The employee sign-in system allows employees to check into their office location every time they come to the office which further allows company managers to keep track of who is onsite and when their workers arrive.

The room scheduling software helps employees find and book available rooms in the office to complete their tasks and assignments faster and without any distractions.

Photo by Croissant from Unsplash 

Final thoughts

What once may have been considered a privilege, nowadays flexible working is becoming the norm in almost every business establishment. Although its main purpose is to give employees the freedom to create their own working schedule, the benefits that come along can be also good for the business’ work culture in general. 

For more information, refer to our post and read about the importance of flexible working and how you can implement it in your workplace.

The post Flexible Working: The Way Of The Future appeared first on Modern Marketing Partners.

1.   Create a Detailed Schedule

It was a lot easier to constantly check-in or change things around when you’re working in an office, but now things have changed. This is why it is all the more important to create a detailed schedule. This means having separate daily, weekly and monthly schedules, each stating their specific goals. You’ll find that even though this process might take a bit of time, it’s certainly going to be worth your while in the grand scheme of things. This is because your employees need to have goals and deadlines to be able to stay on track, especially if they are working remotely.

2.   Ensure that Your Onboarding Process is Thorough

Onboarding has always been an important part of the process- possibly the most important, as it sets the foundation for all new employees. In the office, new employees were able to learn on the job. However, this is not something that is practical at all, especially when it comes to online work. The solution is, just like the schedule, the job description needs to be extremely detailed so that any new staff is able to navigate their way through their tasks with ease. They also need to be able to have a mentor to check in on them regularly and have as many video calls as needed to ensure that everything is on track.

3.   Use Employee Monitoring Software

You cannot have a successful remote workplace without investing in decent employee monitoring software. Many companies already use Workpuls, and with the onset of the pandemic, more people are realizing the value of this kind of software. It allows you to keep track of when staff is online, what platforms they are on, and how much work they got done within their clocked hours.

4.   Have Weekly Meetings for Updates and Feedback

Just because you no longer meet at the office, doesn’t mean that you should stop having meetings on a regular basis. Make sure that these meetings are informative and not too long so that you don’t lose people’s attention and interest. Keep track of the points mentioned so that you’re able to follow up later on. Give everyone a chance to speak so that they know that you value their opinion and that you are aware of the work they’re doing and how far along they are.

5.   Use Checklists and Incentives

Along with the schedule, it’s important that each department and employee has a daily checklist that they need to get through. This allows people to have a structure in their day and keeps the work from piling up. It also allows you to keep a close eye on everything that’s being done without too much hassle. You should also have incentives like rewards or bonuses to motivate your employees. Sitting at home all day requires even more motivation to work than working in an office does, so always keep them on their toes and motivated to be productive.

6.   Utilize the Value of Lower Management

Yes, many companies have had to cut off many employees to save on expenses, but never underestimate the value of lower management. You’ll find that you need them even more when it comes to remote work. You’re going to have a lot more detail to keep track of and it’s going to be harder to do if it is not thorough and organized. The best way to do this is to have lower management take care of these details for you and report back to you when need be, on a regular basis.

The 6 points mentioned here give you the perfect and solid foundation for running a successful business as you work remotely and online. It’s important to bring in new practices and morph old ones to fit the mold of the digital platforms that we now rely on.

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