Flexible work arrangements - Should we, or shouldn't we?

The year 2020 will be one to remember with many monumental changes happening within our society. The unleashing of a global pandemic has made us all self-reflect on the things that matter most in our lives and rethink who we want to be for ourselves and for others. It is no wonder that the way we choose to work would be significantly questioned after being forced to work from home for several weeks/months.

The question remains is a flexible work arrangement the best way to go when half or all employees may want to work from home? How will this impact businesses and the way we are used to operating in the long term?

There are many positives that come with working from home to include:

• More time to be with family

• Saving money from the commute (bus/train/parking/fuel)

• The ability to work in a relaxed environment free from corporate suits

The new-found freedom has made some employees question why they should ever go back to working the old way. The 9-5 workweek grind can be exhausting and certainly requires more effort when we are required to venture outside of our home.

Here is an article that suggests many businesses will be looking at ongoing flexible work arrangements to promote a happy more productive work culture; https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52765165. Why then, wouldn’t we all decide to stay put and save both the employee and the employer in costs associated with running and working in a business premise?

There are differing opinions on the topic and here is one that suggests it is too high risk to allow employees to have very flexible arrangements in the workplace; https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/why-flexitime-is-a-con/news-story/569d2311d13b373d1a0cca0219696b0e.

Many business owners feel uncomfortable about having the majority of their staff unavailable at any given moment during the work week for collaborative unscheduled discussions.

• How will they know their staff are as productive whilst at home?

• How will they know they are still focussed and committed to the business?

• How will the teams communicate when key people are not available to meet?

These are all very understandable concerns and valid arguments to the question ‘Is working flexibly beneficial to businesses?’ It is within a business owner’s right to refuse flexible work arrangements as long as they have reasonable business grounds. These include arrangements are too costly, work can’t be covered by others, adjusting operations to accommodate the request are too impractical and there is a significant negative impact on clients or productivity.

Not all employees enjoy working from home, some crave the human interaction and find working from home less than stimulating. Others prefer coming into an office due to disruptions caused by demanding little people or needy pets. Some find refuge at work being a place they can have a moment to focus on something just for themselves without having to take care of anyone else’s needs. If businesses decided to save on leasing a premise and force everyone to work from home this too could negatively impact work performance for some.

So, why would any business owner consider an office wide flexible working arrangement when there are so many risks associated with a dispersed workforce?

The risks are perhaps not easily seen or measured as we still do not know if and when employees will make an executive decision that they value flexibility over promotions/salary increases. It could however become a key factor for employees leaving an organisation, to find an employer willing to accommodate their need for greater flexibility. It may become a significant benefit that competitors could use to poach your best employees.

Now which risk is greater?

Again, hard to measure at this early stage, but one to consider carefully. What are the costs of recruiting new staff and is retaining a much more critical business strategy versus micromanaging your employees every move?

Considering both sides to the argument and basing the decision on the needs of everyone through collaborative consultation is the ideal approach. If business owners can decide based on well thought out consideration of all viewpoints the outcome will most likely benefit all.

The positives that may come from allowing flexible work arrangements include:

• Autonomous working can generate greater motivation

• The ability for employees to have long uninterrupted periods to focus and get work completed providing higher quality deliverables

• Employees will feel their employer trusts and cares for them enough to allow the flexibility and will often stay with the organisation longer

The negatives to the employer may include:

• Loss of productivity due to distractions at home

• Disjointed communication and a loss of collaboration

• Challenge to manage someone from a remote location

Here is another article that discusses the pros and cons; https://www.heraldsun.com.au/feature/special-features/reality-check-on-australias-growing-flexible-work-culture/news-story/42b8046948ec00281414844bb8e4330a

I believe there is a middle ground that can be created by businesses to enable staff to feel like their business supports flexibility whilst mitigating risks to productivity and connectivity. This will take effort, but with a collaborative approach to problem solving, any barriers or obstacles that may crop up can be resolved as a team. This will lead to a more connected and happier work culture.

Staff should be given the opportunity to apply for flexibility, have it be dually considered and have their request be responded to in writing within 21 days https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/flexibility-in-the-workplace/flexible-working-arrangements. If the request is considered unreasonable then the business should consider an agreed compromised solution to ensure both the business and individual needs are met. This approach will ensure your people feel heard, respected, and trusted which will in term prevent revolving doors.