Starting the flexible working discussion – words Al Woods
It seems that until recently, flexible working was seen as a bit of a benefit; a perk of the job that was only offered to people occasionally.
There was certainly a lot of misunderstanding about what flexible working was, and in some areas, there is still some misconception about it today.
But if you do explore the benefits of offering flexible working if you are a business owner, or taking advantage of it as an employee, it can be something that can give your business a boost and improve how productive you are at work; you don’t have to be self-employed to make the most of it.
If you want to add some flexibility to your working life, then it is something that is certainly worth looking into. Here are some steps that help you to bring it about in your life.
Start the Conversation
Speaking to your employer is going to be the number one step to getting on the flexible working train. Some jobs just won’t work if you aren’t face to face. But with the technology that we have, there are plenty of tools that will allow you to get the work done that you need to, and from home. So it is worth speaking to your employer to see where they stand on this. It could end up costing them money if more laptops or microphones are needed to be bought for people to take home. So they need to see the benefits of it too. Flexible working is certainly not just a desire of parents either; it is a people issue for sure.
Helps Education and Training
If you or colleagues were wanting to do some training for your job or study part-time for a business management masters as you work, for example, then flexible working can mean that you can do that much more easily. So from an employers point of view, it can mean that you have a better trained and well-educated workforce, as they can work around their other commitments. It will mean you don’t need time off to study, and wouldn’t need to change your normal working pattern. So if you plan to work and study, then it could be achieved through flexible working if you are given the chance to do so.
Emphasise Results
The good news is that we have the evidence from recent years to show that in fact, many people are much more productive when they work from home. And for many jobs, shouldn’t the fact that the work gets done mean more than how long it took to do it? If you can get your work done in a shorter amount of time, then it should be something that employers can get on-board with. Of course, there may be times when there are deadlines that need to be achieved, and if you’re not in the office that normal office buzz or urgency maybe missed. But there are plenty of other ways to implement those kinds of things.
Starting the flexible working discussion – words Al Woods
