07. Embracing Flexibility: How flexible work arrangement lead to increased motivation

 Embracing Flexibility: How flexible work arrangement lead to increased motivation

As employees desire a better work-life balance and a more flexible workplace, flexible work arrangements are becoming more and more crucial in today's workforce. These agreements are important for a number of factors, and they may benefit organizations and employees alike.

Flexible working conditions can aid businesses in luring and keeping top personnel. Organizations can build a more desirable workplace that values their employees' needs and wishes by allowing employees to work from home or change their hours. Due to their improved ability to manage their personal and professional life, employees may see a rise in job satisfaction, engagement, and productivity.

Understanding Flexible Work Arrangements

The phrase "flexible work arrangements" describes a number of options that enable employees to alter their work locations and hours in order to better suit their individual needs and preferences. These contracts acknowledge that working in a physical office with set hours is no longer a need for employment. They enable employees to design their work environments in a way that improves productivity and work-life harmony.

 

Enhanced Motivation through Flexibility

• Reduces stress and burnout

Employees often experience high levels of stress at work, especially while working longer hours. A healthy work-life balance can be hampered by the weight of work, longer hours of meetings, and increased workload. This is likely to cause emotions of tiredness, which in turn will cause burnout.  Employees' perspectives of their work may be seriously harmed by their lack of control over it.

Working flexibly can help combat this and perhaps prevent work-related stress and burnout. It is simpler to manage and achieve a better work-life balance when employees have more control over their employment. It can support the development of a much healthier lifestyle for your staff as a stress reliever.  Employees that are in good health have better concentration and are ultimately more productive. 

• Improved Work-Life Balance

Flexible work schedules can make workers feel valued and trusted by their employer. Offering flexible work schedules demonstrates an employer's confidence in their staff's ability to balance work and personal obligations. This could contribute to fostering a supportive work atmosphere where employees feel respected and valued, which would boost job satisfaction.

Employers can show they care about their staff's wellbeing and foster a more uplifting workplace culture by establishing flexible work arrangements. The organization as a whole could ultimately profit from greater employee engagement, productivity, and retention as a result of this.

Together, let's increase the well-being and output of our workforce and provide all employees with a better work-life balance.

• Increased Autonomy

Employees typically have more autonomy and control over their work under flexible work arrangements. Employees are free to plan their workdays according to their preferences rather than being constrained by rigid schedules and company rules. As a result of feeling more invested in and accountable for the results of their work, employees may become more motivated. Additionally, workers are more likely to be content with their occupations and stay with their employers for a longer amount of time if they perceive that their employers respect and trust them.

 

• Reduce sick days and turnover

Any other workplace strategy falls short when it comes to managing stress. Working strict hours gives little room for unforeseen events, which ultimately leads to missing work. Having access to health care lessens the stress that may cause workers to take numerous sick days.

Employees that are happy and healthier likely to stay with a company longer. Employee loyalty is cultivated when they feel valued and trusted by management, and when their demands are met. As a result, the business saves time and money by having lower total employee turnover rates.

 

Benefits for Employers

• A reduction in overheads

Working from home or even in a co-working facility can significantly cut down on travel time and expenses. A shorter commute can also have a lot of positive effects, such as lowering stress levels and making you less likely to be late (perhaps because your flexible arrangements allow you to commute outside of peak hours and therefore minimize your route time).

Because less office space, equipment, and staff travel is needed, flexible working for your organization might result in lower costs and overhead.

• Increased productivity

An employee may be more likely to start work earlier and stay later if they have the option to work remotely from home because they save time on their commute. The productivity of over two-thirds (60%) of HR directors has increased, highlighting the advantages of flexible work schedules for businesses.

Many employees put in more effort than ever to get results because they are aware of the necessity to demonstrate their ability to work from home and support the arrangement. Additionally, flexible working encourages job satisfaction among your staff, which can result in significant gains in output and effectiveness.

• Increased creativity

Happy, motivated employees are likely to be appreciative of flexible working hours, be more likely to interact with their organization, and be more likely to contribute positively.

Flexible work schedules might inspire professionals to be more creative and "think outside the box." When they do arrive at work, some individuals might become more engaged and eager to provide original ideas. These might have to do with ongoing projects, work processes, or workplace culture generally.

 

• Easy of management

Employees who are willing to work flexibly will try to create as little disruption as possible, reducing the amount of manager input required.

Additional options for flexible working may become available if employees can demonstrate they are simple to manage during a non-standard shift. Professionals typically just carry on with their work; they will be heard from when they need to collaborate with coworkers or seek supervisor approval.

Challenges and Mitigation

• Slowed Speed Of Career Advancement

The rate at which individuals advance their careers in a remote environment vs in the office is another frequent issue that came up in our interactions with clients. Managers are concerned that the lack of possibilities for hands-on cross-training may hinder the rate of professional advancement for their workforce.

The similar issue came up in a recent Tenant Talk meeting that Aura held with accounting industry executives. As they strive to bridge the physical and the digital in the future office, discussions were held about leadership's responsibility in guaranteeing equal growth possibilities for people working remotely and those in the office. 

• Part-time working is the most difficult form of flexible working

First, compared to some other types of flexible working, such as remote working and flexy time, part-time work is frequently a more challenging form to implement.

Not only does working part-time require a modification to the legal contract of employment, but when an employee transitions from full-time to part-time employment, there are also practical challenges in determining an adequate workload and in establishing expectations of availability.

• Corporate Culture Erosion

According to LinkedIn research that was reported in HR magazine, 39% of C-level executives indicated they think remote working during the epidemic has already harmed or weakened business culture. Without the numerous watercooler conversations, lunch and learns, and company activities that would involve everyone in the office, our clients are discovering that they must deal with another fear: losing the cohesive corporate culture that makes them special. Through internet tools like Slack that enable teams stay connected, communicate key company values, and celebrate achievements, efforts have been made to preserve corporate culture. Management teams worry, however, that as time goes on, because so much of their company exists in the digital realm, it may become more difficult for them to distinguish out from the competition.

• Unreliable and untrustworthy employees

The fact that not all of your staff members can be relied upon to complete their duties is one of the issues you could run into while implementing workplace flexibility. While some people may take advantage of this chance to get better at what they do, others will undoubtedly use it as an excuse to be idle and do nothing. You won't be able to take action to stop your staff from being slack and inept because you won't know what they are doing precisely. Instead of the rise that would often be anticipated from implementing a flexible working arrangement, this particular issue will result in a fall in productivity. This is why it's critical to take steps to ensure that staff are completing their work rather than wasting their time on pointless activities.

• A decrease in human relation and interaction

Flexibility in the workplace may cause a split among the staff of a particular organization. This means that there won't be any interaction between coworkers since people will be able to work from anywhere they wish, including from the comfort of their homes.

Implementing Flexible Work Arrangements

• Clear policies and guidelines

Describe the different flexible work arrangements you offer, together with any requirements for eligibility and any restrictions or conditions for workers who want to request flexible working. To ensure these rules continue to be effective, they should be made plain to all employees and periodically reviewed.

• Effective communication and technology tools

To enable efficient collaboration and information exchange, it is essential to invest in dependable communication and technological solutions. Employers should give workers the resources and tools they need to work flexibly, remotely, or after regular business hours. This covers tools for video conferencing, project management programs, and safe access to business systems.

• Training and development opportunities

It is crucial to provide training and development opportunities for workers who are employed under flexible conditions. Companies should give employees the tools and assistance they need to build critical abilities like time management, self-motivation, and online collaboration. People can adjust to the shifting nature of the workplace with the support of regular training sessions and mentoring programs.

• Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms

By putting monitoring and evaluation systems in place, flexible work arrangements are made to be efficient and in line with organizational objectives. Managers and their staff will be able to monitor progress, identify areas for improvement, and make required adjustments to optimize results with the help of regular check-ins, performance reviews, and feedback sessions.

Conclusion

Flexible work arrangements have transcended the realm of trendy workplace options; they've become essential components of modern work culture. By recognizing the diverse needs of employees and providing them with the flexibility to balance their personal and professional lives, organizations can drive motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction to new heights. As businesses embrace flexibility, they unlock the potential for a more engaged and motivated workforce that thrives in an environment tailored to individual needs.

REFERENCES

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• Todd, S. (2022). What are the Disadvantages of Workplace Flexibility (11 Big Problems if Not Properly Managed). [online] Open Sourced Workplace. Available at: https://opensourcedworkplace.com/news/what-are-the-disadvantages-of-workplace-flexibility-11-big-problems-if-not-properly-managed.

• www.linkedin.com. (n.d.). How Flexible Work Arrangements Can Improve Employee Well-being and Productivity. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-flexible-work-arrangements-can-improve-employee#:~:text=When%20an%20employer%20offers%20flexible [Accessed 28 Aug. 2023].

• www.linkedin.com. (n.d.). The Impact of Flexible Work on Employee Motivation and Job Performance. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/impact-flexible-work-employee-motivation-job-performance.