Over the last few years, the idea of flexibility at work has evolved to exclusively represent whether a company offers remote work opportunities or not, however, flexible work arrangements can be far more expansive in practice. Employees prioritize job opportunities that promote flexibility over a considerable number of other perks, but not all businesses are currently equipped to operate at their best while working remotely. Despite this, there are other ways to prioritize work frameworks that are built around flexibility. This offers employees a chance to benefit from policies that work in their favor, earning the employer brownie points and employee loyalty.
Flexibility at work can take on many forms, extending beyond remote work policies to include alternate work schedules customized to employees’ needs. (Image: Freepik)
A Guide to Flexibility at Work: How To Implement Flexible Strategies in the Workplace
Flexibility in the workplace refers to the degree of freedom that employees have in how they operate, providing them with more options to determine how they work best. It allows for greater ease in tailoring the work to fit the employee rather than a rigid setup where the rules forbid any room for adjustments. Flexible work arrangements can involve different systems of operation, ranging from allowing employees to work from home when needed to adjusting their hours to log in and sign out later than their colleagues.
Too much freedom and flexibility can result in a collapse of all systems within the organization, leaving little room for managers and HR leads to enforce any order. However, systems that are too fixed in their ways can stifle workers, eliminating all considerations for the realities of daily living to take space. Each employee joins the workforce with different needs and circumstances, and while it can be difficult to redesign organizational operations around each of their requirements, offering a few different workplace flexibility policies can help ensure they find a system that works best for them.
Employers who approach workplace flexibility with an open mind and give employees room to work in a way that works best for them are highly sought after, making these strategies a key way to attract talent to the organization. Let’s look at a few different workplace flexibility strategies that employers can explore.
Remote or Hybrid Work Opportunities
The most commonly discussed approach to workplace flexibility is the remote work setup, allowing workers to operate from their homes rather than commute to the workplace. Remote work systems offer employees the chance to pay attention to their personal lives while also working and earning a living. Hybrid work opportunities are a halfway compromise between working from home and working from the office.
Taking matters one step further, some remote opportunities also allow employees to work from anywhere rather than a fixed home location, taking flexibility one step further.
Flexible Working Hours
Flexible work arrangements can also look like offering employees flexible working hours, allowing them to select a more convenient time for them to log in. While this isn’t a common practice, some organizations focus their sights on the quantity and quality of work rather than the hours worked. Allowing employees to choose their work hours is an invaluable benefit for many, particularly for young parents who may need alternate work setups.
Employers in Korea have introduced new policies to support young parents with their childcare, providing baby bonuses, temporary part-time schedules, and other similar benefits to help them with their daily needs.
Shorter Workweeks
Employers can also approach workplace flexibility by providing them with shorter workweeks. This can look like a permanent shift to a four-day work set-up or a once-a-month system where workers get an extra Friday. Switching to a system of operations where shorter workweeks are the daily mode of operations can be a tough task, but employers are very appreciative of work opportunities that allow them to have more time for themselves.
Shift-Based Work Schedules
Offering employees temporary shift-based work schedules when they require adjustments. Specifically for employees who need to care for their loved ones for a short duration, switching to part-time or shift-based work may be beneficial. Frameworks for work flexibility don’t have to look like a permanent change to how the organization operates. The benefits of job flexibility are that the provision of accommodations can be provided on a case-by-case basis. This allows workers to retain their jobs and employers to retain their talent.
Flexibility in Roles And Titles
To prevent burnout and give employees more diverse learning opportunities on the job, some employers allow employees to change their roles within the organization. Some employees may want to work with a different department, while others may want to explore an adjacent role to see if it fits them better.
Offering employees an opportunity to experience a short-term mentorship under a senior employee or giving them room to learn a different role can help them to learn a wider range of skills and find a better position for themselves within the organization.
Flexible Work Spaces
Workplace flexibility strategies don’t have to exclusively apply to the work schedule. Employees may also appreciate having flexibility in the physical set-up of the workplace. Restricting employees to their desks may be standard practice, but offering alternative seating options like a couch or standing desks can allow employees to find comfort in the workplace and operate in a way that works best for them.
Pursuing Employee Flexibility Best Practices Can Be a Key Strategy Towards Building Engagement
Workplace flexibility strategies have many benefits for employers and employees. Employees who are accommodated and acknowledged are far more likely to be engaged and pursue a long-term career within the business. Employers benefit from improved productivity and low attrition cost, creating a stronger bond of trust with their workers.
Workplace flexibility policies can take on many forms and don’t have to operate on an all-or-none principle, with remote work the only strategy towards making it work. Understanding the needs of the workforce and remaining open-minded towards requests made by workers is the best way to explore and enforce flexibility at work, keeping employee well-being at the forefront of the conversation.
Do you have any experience with flexibility at work? Share your preferred strategies and best practices with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.