What does flexible working mean for your business 2 years on?

We’re now more than two years past our first Covid lockdown and many of the changes that were forced upon businesses have opened our eyes to a more convenient way of working.

But while a massive 80% of employers are willing to accommodate staff’s preferences when it comes to flexible working, we’re still facing challenges. Things like bringing in new people, training them and settling them in has become an issue because it’s not always easy to see how successful an induction has been.

Also, understanding what flexible working means beyond simply ‘working from home’ has become blurred. Flexible working doesn’t have to simply mean where we work from, but rather should take into consideration when people work, and how long that work is taking.

People Management recently published an article that suggested businesses focus on the 3Ms in order to maintain the gains that the pandemic brought to the way we work.

Managers – need the right support and training to implement flexible working fairly and confidently.

Measure – what’s happening for the success of the business, but also map career progress against working patterns. And also track and measure the engagement and retention of non-office-based employees.

Men – while it may be women that are keener to take a more flexible approach to work, thanks to caring duties, look at what your men are doing, too. Are there any gender-based working patterns?

Share what you find out with managers, directors and other leaders within your business, so you can be sure of exactly how flexible working is impacting your company and the benefits it’s bringing about.

If you need a hand getting any of this set up, just give us a call! (0203 011 0448)