Whether you’re an executive thinking about launching a telecommuting program or an employee who wants better work-life balance, chances are good that you’ve pondered the pros and cons of workplace flexibility.
The desire by employees to utilize remote work, shifted hours, job sharing, and other flex options is well documented. Most companies already offer some kind of flexibility, and those that don’t have such opportunities are thinking about flex.
As a reminder to people in both camps, here are just a few ways in which workplace flexibility is beneficial to workers and companies:
Improving work-life balance.
When workers have more control over their schedules, they can make sure they have time to complete job tasks while also enjoying life outside of the office. This is a benefit to employees, because it makes them happier. It’s a benefit to businesses, because happy employees tend to be more productive and loyal.
Boosting productivity.
Employees who have the chance to telecommute occasionally or enjoy other flexibility tend to be more productive, as noted in an article from Mother Pukka. “Three in five people who work flexibly put in more hours as a result of being allowed to do so,” the article says. “Another report found that 72 percent of businesses reported increased productivity as a direct result of flexible working.”
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Improving employees’ mental and physical health.
A U.S. Department of Labor presentation touts many benefits of work flex. One is that flexibility tends to reduce stress levels for workers, thus improving their mental health. And if they’re not wasting time in a commute, they’re likely to have more time to exercise and cook better meals, which can have positive impacts on physical health. Healthier employees save companies money through reduced absenteeism and lower healthcare costs. Again, everyone wins.
Helping older workers stay on the job longer.
As baby boomers hit retirement age in growing numbers, many are finding that they don’t want to completely stop working. At the same time, companies are looking for ways to avoid the brain drain that could accompany so many retirements. By offering freelance, part-time, and other flexible work options, businesses can keep older workers engaged and on the job. Those boomers, meanwhile, can keep their hands in the business world and earn a bit of money while still making time for travel, family, and other joys of retirement.
Reducing office costs.
Remote employees need computers and other equipment, just like their cubicle-dwelling colleagues, but they do not need space in an office. As the price for commercial space continues to skyrocket in some areas, this is an important consideration. For example, Global Workplace Analytics reports that the average real estate savings with full-time telework is $10,000 per employee, per year.
Saving the environment.
If workers no longer have to drive to an office, or if they can shift their hours to avoid idling in rush-hour traffic, the impact on the environment can be significant. For example, a study of the effects of the flex work policies of Xerox, Dell, and Aetna found that their decision to let workers labor at home on occasion translated into 95,294 metric tons less of greenhouse gas emissions in 2014. As companies seek to reduce their carbon footprints and appeal to “green” employees, flex can help.
Improving employee recruiting and retention.
Flex work offers many benefits in this regard, from expanding the talent pool to new areas of the nation or the world to encouraging loyalty among existing workers. An article from the Society for Human Resource Management talks about the flex experiences of State Street Corp., a multinational financial services provider. “We have heightened employee satisfaction, productivity and operating efficiencies and lowered turnover in virtually all locations where flex has been implemented,” the article says of State Street’s efforts. “Furthermore, a companywide internal employee engagement survey in October 2010 revealed that employees with some type of flexibility in their schedules are the most loyal, the most committed—and the hardest working. Employees with the most favorable perceptions of flex scored 20 percent higher, on average, across a variety of engagement indicators, including emotional and rational commitment, intent to stay and discretionary effort.”
Allowing for quick ramp-ups or employment changes.
Some companies need to match their payrolls to seasonal shifts in employment. Others may need to quickly ramp up hiring for bringing a new product to market, but they don’t want to take on full-time workers. In both cases, flexibility can help. For example, a business can hire qualified part-time workers in order to grow quickly without paying the costs of full-time employees. A company can also add telecommuters without buying or leasing more office space. This is flex that truly works for both the business and workers.
That should be plenty of information to make the business case for flexible work, but even this just scratches the surface. The evidence in favor of flex is overwhelming. Now it’s up to workers and employers to recognize these facts and make flexibility a part of each company’s core strategy. Only then will everyone involved truly reap the benefits flexibility can bring.
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