Despite the fact that your company has a flexible work policy, you might find that some employees aren’t taking advantage of it. They stick to the same 9-to-5 schedule that they always had when working in a traditional office environment, and rarely stray from it. But as an employer, it’s pivotal that you encourage workers to use their flex.
Here’s why you should encourage workers to use their work flexibility:
It may improve their productivity.
Although it might seem like encouraging your workers to use their flex would benefit just them, there’s something in it for employers, too. After all, if employees practice work flexibility, the chances are higher that they will be more conscientious of their time, and in turn, have greater productivity.
If they are able to accomplish in four hours what might have taken eight in a busy, bustling office, they will be able to work better—and your company will be all the better for it.
Your employees can have better work-life balance.
Like it or not, employees will burn out at some point or another, and especially so if they have a rigid work schedule. Not so with flexible work arrangements, which allow workers to design their workday based on what needs to be done for work and also for home.
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Work-life balance makes happier employees, who are bound to produce better-quality work. (And frankly, one of the major goals of every company should be to have a happy workforce.) So even though you’re helping them have a better life, it’s your company that reaps the rewards.
You’ll likely have higher retention rates.
When workers feel like they aren’t being heard by their bosses or their company, chances are likely that they’ll look for a company that will value them as a person. And the cost of replacing an employee can be quite high for your company, after you factor in all the expenses of the vetting and hiring process.
Even though it might seem a bit selfish to encourage your workers to use their flex so that they stay with your company, you also don’t want to lose valuable workers simply because they are conflicted about employing their flex.
It can create a better working relationship.
The point of offering flex is for your employees to live the lives they want—not to be cramped in their cubicles for eight-plus hours a day. So if you notice that one (or some) of your workers aren’t enjoying their flex, it’s time to find out why.
Schedule a meeting with your workers and say something like: “I’ve noticed that you haven’t been using your flex, and I wanted to find out why.” It might be that they’re afraid to use their flex for fear of looking like a flake. Or maybe their workload is so heavy that they feel like they have to work a strict schedule. Whatever the reason might be, getting to the bottom of it can help your workers make the most of their flexible schedule.
You’ll be known as a flex-friendly company.
Sure, some companies tout themselves as flex-friendly—but then secretly wish that their workers followed a 9-to-5 schedule. If you openly encourage your workers to use their flex, you are showing them (and the world, really) that your company walks the walk. That means that you aren’t simply stating that you’re a flexible company, but that you actively promote its practices to your employees.
If you want to encourage your workers to use their flex, here’s how:
Remind them.
Although you don’t have to track every single day if your employees are using their flex or not, keep a running mental log of how often your workers are being flexible. Remind your workers to catch that beautiful sunset, or that taking a run in the morning is a great way to score some exercise and also clear their minds for the day. Offer interesting examples of how they can utilize their flex, and hopefully they will start to do so.
Lead by example.
If you find that you have employees who are available around the clock, there might be a reason for that. Management sets the tone for how employees work, so if bosses are sending out emails late at night—and expecting a prompt response—it can undermine the company’s flexible work policy. Make sure that your managers know to be flexible themselves, and highlight to employees when they’re off, and what they’re doing. These examples will help workers feel that they can be flexible, too.
Offer rewards.
It might seem silly to have to reward workers to be flexible, but employers who want the best for their workers (and in a trickle-down effect, their companies) might offer rewards for those who do. For example, you might set up a contest to see what is the coolest thing people do with their time off. Seeing that the company proactively applauds its flexible work policy will show employees that flex is viewed as an integral part of the position—and not simply a work perk.
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