The modern-day office is barely just a building these days. With the boom of internet technologies, companies can start and grow on a global scale from the comfort of their home. There is also a newfound importance on the aspect of experiencing things in life.
If you think about the product or service your company offers, how hard do you try to design and sell a brand experience over the product itself? How many of your marketing efforts are focused on providing a life-changing experience for the customer? Even in the form of steak knives with ergonomically designed handles, for example.
Everything being produced by this world is focused on creating an experience. And while work may not seem like something that should be a luxury experience, that’s kind of where it’s going at the moment.
What does it mean to have flexible work schedules?
Flexible work schedules cater to the employee. This may be in the form of time-based flexibility, location-based flexibility or a combination of the two. What flexible work schedules are not, are excuses for employees to slack and fool around during office hours.
If you look at time-based flexibility, this usually allows for employees to choose a start and end time that suits their home schedules. For example, employees who have children may choose to start work slightly later in order to do the school rush in the morning or start earlier in order to do the afternoon rush. Other companies may offer their employees the option of choosing the days they work as well. For example, taking Friday off and making up for it on Sunday. Flexible hours make it easier for employees to find a work/life balance, which makes them happier people to be around.
Then there are location-based flexibility options that allow employees to choose their location of work. Should they not be able to come into the office every day of the week, employers may offer the option of working from home for those days and having a minimum amount of days where presence in the office is required. This is extremely helpful for parents or employees who struggle with a far commute.
Now that you know what some flexible work schedules entail, why should your company consider it? Here are some things for the human resource managers to think. After all, they are the ones who need to be concerned with the wellbeing of the company’s employees.
An attractive asset in recruitment
When it comes to hiring new employees (or even retaining current employees, for that matter), flexible work schedules are an attractive asset on any job advertisement. And all the millennials are on the lookout for a job that will provide them with a great experience, both in the office and after work hours.
By offering flexible work hours, the company stands a better chance at recruiting the best talent out there to build up a dream team of employees. HR should make it clear during the recruitment process what the flexible work schedules entail and find out how the potential employee’s position can be accommodated to their personal schedules.
With flexible work schedules, the company is also seen as one with no “employee” limits. And by that we mean there’s an opportunity for people with disabilities and stay-at-home duties to find work and contribute to the overall success of the business. It shows the company cares for their employees and takes more than just their work lives into consideration.
Increased levels of productivity
And all of that leads to increased levels of productivity as employee morale is high. The freedom and responsibility that comes with a flexible work schedule promotes the company’s confidence in the employee’s capability. It also boosts the employee’s self-confidence in that they are entrusted to be accountable for their work while having the benefit of flexible hours.
Confidence leads to a higher quality of work and a stronger motivation to get the job done and done well. It’s a way for employees to demonstrate their appreciation for flexible work schedules, which they really do appreciate.
Employees will also be less stressed as they can achieve the work/life balance without too much of a compromise and that will help them focus during the hours they do work. They will also have the option to work in their prime hours of the day when they are more productive in general. Let’s face it, not everyone is a productive morning person and some people tend to start shutting their minds down in the evenings. When offering a flexible schedule, help employees keep that in mind.
Flexible schedules also provide an opportunity for employees to take the time to study further. If, for example, junior HR employees had the time to take human resource management courses part-time, it wouldn’t only make them better at their job, it would also motivate them to work harder in order to earn a promotion or put to use what they have been learning. Again, increasing their productivity.
Positive business attitude
Everyone wants to work at the company that offers flexible work schedules. And every employee would be happy to work flexible hours. So, if you want a positive business attitude to spread from your employees to your customers, think about flexible schedules. No, really, think about it.
