With all of the demands of family life and work duties, many businesses are choosing to implement flexible work programs. This helps employees achieve a healthier work-life balance, which tends to result in higher employee satisfaction and better overall morale. At the same time, flexibility can benefit employers as well. Here are some specific advantages of offering flexible workplace policies, and some programs you may want to integrate.
More Motivated Employees
Research indicates that there’s a positive correlation between flexible polices and employee motivation. JP Morgan Chase found “that 95 percent of employees working in an environment where the manager is sensitive to work and personal life feel motivated to exceed expectations, compared to 80 percent of employees in environments where the manager is not sensitive to their needs.”
By having workers who are invested in their jobs and who strive to go beyond what’s expected, this can have an immense impact on your business. This often translates into getting the most from employee resources, increased productivity and larger profit margins.
Higher Retention Rate
A high turnover rate can hurt a company in several ways, including being forced to spend more time and money on recruiting/training, and lower employee morale. Fortunately, flexible policies can go a long way in terms of reducing employee turnover. Because workers feel like their employer legitimately cares about their needs, this can lead to a deeper loyalty, and people are more likely to stick around for the long haul.
Less Absenteeism
If an employee needs to address an urgent matter in their personal life, there’s a good chance that they’ll call out if there are no flexible work arrangements. However, when they’re able to get the time off they need to take care of issues outside of work, you’re overall level of absenteeism is likely to drop. This can save you a lot of headaches and boost productivity, as well.
Areas Where Flexibility Can Be Implemented
- Hours – Commonly known as flextime, you can allow employees to determine when their workdays begin and end from available hours.
- Choice of Work Schedule – This is where workers can decide the days they want to work as long as all shift requirements are met.
- Sick Days – This involves offering paid time off when employees suffer from an illness or so they can provide care for a spouse or family member.
- Job Sharing – Two employees can choose to share the duties of a single full-time position.
- Telecommuting – If there are tasks than can be completed online, an employee can choose to work virtually and reduce the amount of hours they physically spend onsite.
By offering flexibility to your workplace, it can bring about many positive results that can trickle down and position your business for success. If you’re looking for more ways to improve your company and find the right talent, please check out our HR Management section.
