How can flexible working benefit you?

You may have heard a lot about flexible working in response to the global pandemic and how it may change the future landscape of work. In this blog, we will discuss what flexible working is and how it could benefit you when you enter the world of work.

• Greater flexibility to accommodate personal commitments and emergencies.
• Improved job satisfaction and work engagement.
• Enhanced work-life integration, allowing for seamless transitions between work and personal life.
• Access to a broader range of job opportunities, including remote and global roles.
• Reduced environmental impact through decreased commuting and carbon footprint.
• Increased work autonomy and control over your schedule.
• Enhanced opportunities for career growth and professional development.
• Improved work-life harmony, allowing you to pursue personal interests and hobbies.
• Better work satisfaction and morale, leading to higher job retention.
• Expanded access to a diverse talent pool and the ability to attract top talent.

Flexible working is the name given to any type of working pattern which is different from your existing one. Flexible working is not a new thing that has appeared as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. Flexible working has actually been around for years. 

It is commonly associated with parents or carers, who may need to adapt work around their responsibilities to children or other family members. Yet flexible working can also offer you other non-traditional arrangements outside of the traditional ‘9 to 5′; like part-time work, reduced hours, flexi-time, and work from home.

Before COVID-19, attitudes towards flexible working practices varied. Some businesses were inclusive and forward-thinking and had been practising agile working for years. 

This enabled employees to choose how, where, and when to work based on what suited them best. Options included working from home and flexitime. Other companies preferred the traditional office-based 9 to 5 working days, with the idea of working remotely an alien concept.

Flexible working comes in many forms, some more popular than others. Common types of flexible working arrangements include:

Hybrid working – where you might work full-time but only comes into the office two or three days per week and works remotely for the rest.

• Remote working – where you would work entirely outside of the office. This means you can live and work from anywhere.
• Part-time working – This would allow you to work less than full-time, standard hours.
• Condensed hours – This means you cover your standard working hours in fewer working days, e.g., four days could be 8 am-6 pm and a shorter day on Friday.
• Job sharing – Two part-time workers share one full-time job.
• Customised working hours – Workers choose their own hours. Sometimes, times are given as a guide, i.e., hours must be between 6 am – 10 pm.
• Flexi-time – There are ‘core hours, i.e., between 10 am – 4 pm. Outside of these times, employees can choose when they work.

There are clear benefits to flexible or remote working. Employees can take fewer sick days and be more productive. You can also benefit from a reduced commute – something thousands of us have benefited from over the past year. More flexible or remote working can also ease congestion in our towns and cities and reduce our carbon footprint.

Working at home can also increase inclusivity, as it offers greater accessibility if you are someone who may find traditional working patterns difficult due to caring responsibilities or disability. 

Are there any disadvantages to flexible working? Challenges of reduced hours or working from home include feeling isolated from your colleagues and difficulties in separating home and work. Working from home can also be difficult if you do not have the right resources, such as equipment or software. 

It can also be harder to ensure effective health and safety. A mass move to more flexible or remote working also has the potential to reduce customers for retail and hospitality businesses. We have already seen news reports of hospitality employers struggling to recruit as a result of a drop in customer numbers.

The outbreak of COVID-19 forced businesses to adapt to working more flexibly than ever before. Businesses needed to adapt in line with social distancing measures and also because employees expected it. As a result, we have started to see attitudes changing towards flexible working. Some businesses will allow their employees to work from home permanently, and others are adopting a hybrid approach to working. 

There are plenty of organisations, big and small, that have been practising agile working for a long time. We can learn a lot from these organisations.

One such company is Unilever. Unilever’s chief executive has said that their employees will never return to a full five-day office-based working week. Instead, they will adopt a more hybrid way of working. Click here to read about Ejaz’s experience as an apprentice with Unilever.

Workspaces will change after COVID, as businesses require more flexibility. 

The list of companies embracing flexible working policies is growing. Twitter has announced it is allowing staff to work from home “forever”. Facebook is also undertaking remote hiring. Other organisations are adopting a more blended approach to work. So, it is clear that remote work is here to stay long after the pandemic subsides.

Encouraging employees to work from home for some days and go into the office for the rest of the week will help businesses to adhere to social distancing measures. It also means that you can still get the opportunity to experience some face-to-face communication and socialising. You will still be able to avoid a long commute, at least not every day.

Flexible working offers you numerous benefits. They can positively impact your professional and personal life. It helps you promote a healthier work-life balance, and allow you to manage personal commitments and responsibilities more effectively. 

The more control you'll have over your schedule, the better you can optimise your productivity. Thus, it'll lead to better outcomes and job satisfaction. Thus, flexible working empowers you to achieve a more fulfilling and balanced lifestyle.

Here is some useful information on what flexible working is and how you can request it.

Acas also has some useful guidance on who can request flexible working and how. 

Why not read my NGTU article on starting your first job remotely?

You can opt for flexible working. It allows you to have greater control over your schedule, enabling you to balance work commitments with personal responsibilities. It provides the flexibility to attend to family needs, pursue hobbies, or manage personal appointments, leading to better work-life integration and reduced stress.

If you have flexible working, you can actually enhance productivity. If you get the freedom to work during your most productive hours and in environments that suit you, you can optimise your focus and efficiency. With reduced distractions and the ability to tailor your work schedule, you can deliver high-quality work and achieve better outcomes.

Flexible working can reduce or eliminate commuting time and costs associated with travelling to a physical office. If you work remotely or adjust your hours, you can avoid rush hour traffic, save on transportation expenses, and use that saved time for personal activities or additional work tasks.

If we talk about flexible working, it does not necessarily hinder career growth opportunities. In fact, many organisations recognise the benefits of flexible arrangements and support career progression for employees who work flexibly. As long as you maintain effective communication, meet performance expectations, and demonstrate your commitment to your role, flexible working should not limit your career advancement.