In today’s workforce, employees want the ability to choose when, where, and how they work while also managing their lives and finding a better work-life balance. While employers have been cautious, they are starting to take notice and are shifting more control to their employees to manage their workdays.
The American Sociological Association surveyed Fortune 500 companies who participated in flexible work programs and found that employees have reduced levels of burnout and are generally more happy at work. Other studies have also shown that managers at these companies have not seen any negative drawbacks once they implemented flexible scheduling.
But how do you know if flexible scheduling is right for your business? The following tips will outline the benefits of flexible work schedules and how they can be implemented at your office.
The Benefits
Boost Productivity
A flexible work schedule gives employees the accountability to focus on their results instead of their attendance in the office. Flexible work environments have shown to increase employee productivity because job policies align better with the employees work style and values.
Cut Overhead Costs
A flexible schedule not only cuts down on a business’ overhead cost, but it also helps reduce your carbon footprint. Being able to work remotely can shrink the need for office real estate and helps eliminate carbon emissions. Reducing the need for infrastructure lowers the companies overhead costs, and with a shift from traditional cubicles to nontraditional spaces, flexible scheduling reduces the creation of physical office spaces.
How to Manage Flexible Scheduling
Establish Guidelines
Before allowing your business to embrace flexible scheduling, you must create a solid foundation to manage expectations. First, you should consider the pros and cons of various flexible working options, then establish a clear process for work expectations. What works for one company might not work for another, and to avoid confusion and streamline policies, everything should be documented across the entire organization.
Create Communication
Communication is one of the most important keys to successfully launching a flexible schedule. Setting communication expectations for how work is organized and how performance is tracked through ongoing communication. If you do not already use collaboration platforms like Skype or Slack, implementing the use of these with flexible scheduling will be able to help employees stay on track and also help managers track progress and share knowledge without actually meeting face to face.