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The way we work is changing – and it’s having a dramatic effect on large companies. With recent Regus research showing that over 67% of companies globally include flexible work arrangements in their strategies for long-term employees, it’s clear that flex working is on the rise.
Why is this important? Because as many as 79% of employees would pick a job that offers a form of flexible working over one that doesn’t. But it’s not just about making sure people don’t leave; it’s also about getting the best out of them.
For big corporations, ensuring consistent global productivity is a challenge. UK government statistics show that firms with 250-plus employees have the slowest rate of productivity growth. By offering employees the opportunity to work when and where they want, companies can, in fact, use aspects of flexible working policies, such as co-working spaces, to drive productivity. Studies reveal that commercial banks in Kenya’s city center, for instance, see a 71% rise in employee productivity with flexible arrangements.
This comes as no surprise when over 72% of workers surveyed by Regus say that their increased productivity is the direct result of flexible working. This boils down to a number of factors, including the facts that it helps speed up decision-making (according to 64% of those surveyed) and encourages creativity (74%) – two key factors for big companies facing an unwieldy structure and culture.
So far, so good. But how can firms introduce a flexible work pattern to teams accustomed to the same old ways? Here are some of our top tips:
Model the change
In organizational change, and particularly for large companies that have been operating for a long time using tried-and-true routines, it’s key that everyone understands how the new system works and the value it adds. Analysis by the Singaporean government shows the importance of change leaders acting as enablers – being seen to change with their team rather than imposing it on them. This means choosing your longest-serving, most well-respected employees in individual offices or teams to start by working flexibly for short periods each week, allowing everyone to see what’s expected of them out-of-office – and how beneficial it can be.
Reshape the culture
Research by PwC’s Strategy& states that 84% of companies think culture is “critical” to successful change, but less than 50% believe that culture management is handled well. In big companies there is often a notion that one isn’t getting work done if they haven’t figuratively chained themselves to the desk; established hours and means of communication between teams and offices are that ingrained in people’s minds. Taking a benefit-led approach by showing the advantages to the team can reap dividends by pushing the idea that work can take place when and where it’s needed and most efficient. This also means stripping away the idea of clocking in and clocking out – managers and employees can drive productivity by focusing on getting work done over how time is used.
Set targets
Defining KPIs and targets is the easiest way to keep up productivity – and to measure it. In fact, 82% of British managers identify target-setting and performance management as key to working with flexible workers, according to the Institute of Leadership & Management. This means two things. First, you’re giving your employees measurable ways to define success – in other words, you’re providing them with a tool for self-motivation. It also means you’re helping them shift their mindset from thinking in terms of the hours they need to work to the results they need to get – in turn driving productivity.
