More than half of the global workforce say they are prepared to leave a job that’s lacking in flexibility and remote working options. The latest research collated by Instant Offices, a Global Workspace Specialists, shows 9 out of 10 office workers say they want more flexibility in where and when they do their job – and more than half of them are willing to leave if they don’t get it.
Another survey by EY revealed that 54% of workers worldwide would consider leaving their current job after the pandemic if their employees don’t offer more flexibility.
As lockdown measures begin to ease, more businesses are requiring that their WFH employees return to the office for at least part of the working week. On average, employees expect to be allowed to work remotely for 2 to 3 days after the pandemic.
As of this year, 67% of workers say that their employers can accurately measure their productivity regardless of whether they work in the office or from home. As teams start to gain experience and confidence in working and communicating off-site, around 41% of employees surveyed by McKinsey said they were now actually more productive when working remotely than in the office.
Notably, employees in the Millennial age range (24 to 40 years old) are twice as likely to make the move as Baby Boomers (57 to 75 years old), who are more likely to be further advanced in their career paths or even nearing retirement.
The growing demand for flexibility at work is reflected in the high number of jobs with remote offerings now becoming available. For example, in the past month alone, Glassdoor has posted over 80,000 jobs advertised as “remote” and 490,000 advertised as “flexible”.
Meanwhile, only one in 10 employers are expecting their employees to revert to pre-pandemic working arrangements with a full return to the office. Most of these are companies operating in the services sector.
Tips for Employers Looking to Improve Flexibility
To help businesses create a thriving, and sustainable flexible workplace, Instant Offices have provided their helpful Kickstarter tips:
- Research a variety of flexible work plans from other companies and think about what would work best for your teams. An official flex-working policy is more likely to work than an informal ad-hoc system.
- Start with a trial period – a pilot program to see what works and what doesn’t. After the trial run, gather feedback and see what needs to be changed or refined.
- Put training in place to get everyone up to speed on the new flex policy and how you plan to implement it.
- Make sure that all employees are using the correct tools to promote productivity when working remotely.
Emphasise the importance of communication. Ensure that all employees are able to communicate effectively from their remote or home office locations. Keep communication channels open, so you can catch any potential issues before they become a problem.
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