Flexible working has seen a rapidly growing demand in recent years, more than ever since the start of the pandemic. There has also been an increasing need for a healthy work-life balance. Additionally, employers are now looking for ways to maintain organizational balance for their employees in order to attract and retain more talent.
The case for flexible working has also seen far-reaching support, with about 4 of every 5 Americans looking for such schedules. Many countries and organizations now believe it is the key ingredient to a productive workforce.
5 Ways Work Flexibility Increases Productivity
Flexible work arrangements are for your benefit as an employer, as much as it is to your employees. Research has shown that past the 50-hour mark, productivity begins to decline with each additional hour. Flexible working leads to higher motivation and productivity in some expected and also surprising ways. Here are the top 5 ways work flexibility can up productivity:
1. Reduces stress and burnout
A lot of work environments can be very stressful for employees, especially with longer work hours. The burden of work coupled with longer hours of meetings and tasks can disturb a healthy work-life balance. This can easily lead to feelings of exhaustion, ultimately leading to burnout. The lack of control over their work can create serious problems for the ways in which employees view it.
Flexible working can counter this, and, in fact, avoid work stress and burnout from occurring. The greater control staff members have over their work makes it easier to manage and create a better work-life balance. As a counter to stress, it can help create a much healthier lifestyle for your employees. Healthy employees, in turn, have greater focus and are ultimately more productive.
2. Increase morale and motivation
Much of flexible working is about allowing employees greater control over their work and duties. Doing so puts a lot more faith and trust in the employee. This is an important factor in boosting employee morale. Workers begin to feel more trusted and appreciated with decision-making power.
Individuals’ mental and physical capacity to work can often fluctuate outside of the typical 9 to 5. Flexible working ensures employees are giving their best at all times. Allowing such schedules also helps management communicate to the employees that their needs matter. This leads to higher motivation to perform better and help their company succeed.
3. Establishes effective communication channels
There is a common misconception that longer hours mean employees are always working during those hours. The truth is, a tiring work schedule and the burden of work can make people less inclined towards actually getting the job done in a timely manner.
Flexible work environments, paired with effective communication channels, can actually remove that factor. Many online platforms and softwares, such as Slack, now exist that facilitate more efficient and effective communication which encourages productivity. These communication tools can help minimize the time and costs incurred by ineffective communication and “slacking off.”
4. Reduce sick days and turnover
Flexible working is a better stress manager than any other workplace technique. Working rigid hours leaves little room for the unexpected, and the overall result is missed work. Being able to take care of their health reduces the strain that can lead to employees taking frequent sick days.
In the same vein, happier, healthier employees tend to stick around. Having their needs taken care of and feeling appreciated and trusted by the management fosters a sense of loyalty in employees. As a result, this reduces overall employee turnover rates, saving both time and money for the organization.
5. Sustain a healthy work culture
A good work culture can be the best motivator for employees to work harder and more efficiently. Such a culture is fostered with healthy, happy, and motivated employees. Not only does that improve overall performance, it also leads to an efficient workplace.
Reduced stress, fewer sick days, and effective communication create an enriching culture that promotes growth and efficiency. All of this can be achieved by introducing flexibility in employees’ work. Allowing them to make their work-time decisions, in most cases, works to everyone’s benefit when managed properly.
What Work Flexibility Looks Like
Work flexibility can come in many forms. As an employer, you can decide what is the best fit for your organization and your employees. These can be quite worth it for a motivated and productive workforce. Work-from-home became the new norm during the pandemic lockdown and has shown a lot of people the value of flexibility. It can also work for jobs that don’t really require on-site work. Flexitime is another popular choice for creating flexible work environments. Giving employees greater control over their start and off times can make a serious difference to overall morale.
Additionally, compressed, full-time hours over fewer days have recently gained a lot more attention. While many argue it could result in a loss of output, countries, and companies experimenting with this schedule have seen a rise in productivity.
Flexible working is not a new concept, but it has gained momentum in the last two years. With questions of burnout and employee welfare, it is perhaps all the more useful and important today and into the future. Taking care of employees’ needs also takes care of your organization and its bottom line. All in all, it can show a surprising rise in productivity.
