How Do We Change Attitudes to Flexible Working?
I was recently part of a conversation discussing how, as the demand for flexible work continues to increase, HR can help change attitudes for the better.
Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the following responses to the suggestion of flexible working:
“Well, if we allow one person to have it, everyone will want it!”
“How do I know they’ll be doing what they said they would?”
“No, we can’t support any kind of flexible working.”
To HR professionals everywhere, it’s likely that all of these sound familiar. So, when are companies going to embrace the notion that flexible working can be good for business?
Here are the key takeaways:
Businesses need to reconsider the evidence
Given that it’s an intrinsic part of our culture, the mindset that a working day runs from 9am to 5pm is a tough one to break. However, by assessing the available research on flexible working, we can begin to better understand the benefits.
92% of young people want to work flexibly (UKCES 2014)
Flexible workers enjoy higher levels of job satisfaction (Working Families & Bright Horizons 2018)
Reduced absence rates allow people to better manage health conditions (CIPD & Wellbeing Survey 2018)
Improved stress management and mental health (CIPD & Wellbeing Survey 2018)
Improved retention rates for middle to senior staff (Timewise 2018)
Better work-life balance improves retention of entry-level staff (Bond & Galinsky 2006)
What does all this help generate? More staff engagement, loyalty, and commitment - as well as greater wellbeing and a positive employer brand!
Utilise HR expertise to support businesses
In my view, HR isn’t responsible for creating a culture that enables flexible working – that needs to be championed and endorsed by the business and its leaders. HR can, however, play a key role in supporting these changes – but how?
Work with different business areas to understand if flexible working could suit them.
Help to create the solutions, remembering that one size does not fit all.Create and implement policies that are flexible - rather than procedures so rigid that managers cannot see how it might work for them.
Break down generalisations around flexible working – it does not just mean part-time or working from home.
Ensure that flexible working is open to everyone and not just working parents. It means so much more than this!
Work with leaders to help them see them benefits. This could include coaching for mindset change, development training, success stories and case studies (including from your own organisation, where flexible working has been successful), together with evidence-based research.
Ensure the infrastructure is in place to help people work more flexibly. For example, if there is no technology available for an employee to work from home, more work needs to be done before it can become a feasible option.
As a leader, think about your own views
Are they limiting? How can you overcome this? What support do you need?
Stop focusing on the location of your worker and focus on their output. What’s more important?
Challenge bias. For example, the belief that those who work flexibly are less committed, don’t work as hard, or are not interested in their career – this is often not the case!
Trust, trust, and trust some more!
Let’s be honest: it’s in our nature to fear the unknown.
To combat this, we should:
Trust our employees to deliver results and hold them accountable. Implemented consistently, and with good performance management, it’s less likely that people will abuse flexible working, or have the desire to do so.
Realise that measuring output is preferable to measuring time spent at a desk, which in turn helps to reduce the real challenges already faced with ‘presenteeism’ in the workplace.
It will take some bravery, but now is the time to talk about how flexible working can work for your business.