Flexibility is a great concept for attracting new talent and retaining existing employees. When we start saying “flexibility”, are we clear about what we actually mean by that word?
Flexibility can be understood in terms of geographic location, which means working remotely, but flexibility can also be understood in terms of the time we perform work.
Employers say they are giving employees flexibility, which means having employees work from home two days a week and in the office for the remaining days.
Employees, however, have a different idea. In fact, they want ‘flexibility’ of WHERE to work, but also ‘autonomy’ to decide WHEN to work.
Of course, this raises concerns on the part of employers who question whether they can trust their employees. If you are an employer who is really interested in new talent and retaining existing employees, you need to find a way to trust your people.
In a truly connected organization, people can work effectively regardless of WHERE and WHEN they work.
Consider the following:
• Give people ‘freedom’ but expect ‘responsibility’.
• Be ‘transparent’ in agreements and do not forget about common ‘rules’.
• Measure ‘performance’ by outputs rather than inputs. It is not about WHERE and WHEN I do the work, but with WHAT result I deliver the work. More details on WHERE, WHEN and HOW in the McKinsey blog here.
• Make ‘time’ for people’s individual needs and wants. Managers have to get to know their people much better, in a personal way, regardless of their work environment. Everyone is important!
If you give trust, people will get more involved in autonomous decision-making, they will feel responsibility and will be more productive in their work. Detailed work-from-home statistics for 2022 can be found here
Of course, it is desirable to define the basic rules for flexible and autonomous working hours, regardless of whether people work in an office, remotely or in a hybrid mode.
The more you promote the degree of ’flexibility’ and ’autonomy’, the more you strengthen employee satisfaction, which is based on their self-awareness (WHY they work, WHAT kind of work they do, WHERE/WHEN/WITH WHO they can perform the work). At the same time, you will be much better at reaching and retaining talent and high-performing teams you need. The above will require a completely new thinking, skills, toolset and technology from you to support the ever-changing work environment and ways of working.
The information described above and below is understood as an alternative. Every organization, every team and every individual is completely different. After all, it is about the mutual agreement and a choice from 1 to 5. The five options will work differently for each organization. The bigger the organization, the more options there are. We must experiment and learn, react and adapt to changing situations, people’s needs and wants.
Quadrant 1: Low autonomy, low flexibility: I only work in the office. For example, TESLA works under this principle, Read the entire article here.
Example: I spend 5 days a week in the office
Quadrant 2: Low autonomy, medium flexibility: I work from home (anywhere else) and from the office, but the organization has set on which days I have to be where.
Example: I work from home (from anywhere else) for 2 days, and in the office for 3 days; I have to be in the office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Quadrant 3: Medium autonomy, medium flexibility: I work from home (anywhere else) but with a minimum number of days in the office.
Example: I work in the office for at least 3 days, these days are determined by the employee based on their individual needs and the needs of the team.
Quadrant 4: Medium autonomy, high flexibility: I work more remotely and can choose where I want to work.
Example: I can work remotely for more than 2 days, choosing the days or times to be in the office. I plan the time and place to meet my needs, but also the needs of the team.
Quadrant 5: High autonomy, high flexibility: I can work from anywhere at any time. LinkedIn, for example, works under this principle. Read the full article here.
Example: I work from anywhere, any time, with full access to office space. The employee defines their own work schedule, where, when and how they will work and cooperate with their team.
Which quadrant are you in?