Gone are the days where employees had to show up at the office at 9 a.m. and sit at their desks well after 5 o’clock to show their coworkers what a dedicated employee they are.
Even before the pandemic, work culture has ushered in a much-needed change. Employees are tired of being treated like a commodity. Being chained to an office desk for 40 hours a week just because that’s how it’s always been is not the best approach.
That’s why jobs with flexible working hours attract and retain top talent. Now, businesses are thriving thanks to a flexible work culture.
In this article, we break down what flexible working arrangements are and how they can keep everyone happy!
What are flexible working arrangements?
The truth is, the definition of flexible working arrangements will be different for every company. For some companies, it’ll mean work time flexibility or a more relaxed approach to office hours.
As an employee, you won’t need to worry about working long hours to keep up appearances. All that matters is you get your work done. Need to leave for an appointment during work hours? No problem!
A big part of flexible working involves the understanding that employees have lives outside of work.
What are the benefits of flexible working hours?
There are many aspects of a flexible work culture that both employees and the companies can benefit from.
1. Flexible working and work-life balance
The lack of a long stressful commute and not having to worry about picking up your child from school in the middle of a workday.
Employees can throw a load of laundry in the wash between conference calls. The increased time and peace of mind is helping employees to live a more balanced life, which makes for a happier, more productive workforce.
2. Working from home can increase productivity
Some bosses still adhere to the old-school belief that employees have to be in the office to stay motivated. But we’re learning that the opposite is true. A majority of workers have experienced a boost in productivity from working at home!
Between long commutes and navigating office politics, the workplace can be stressful. Once employees find their work from home best practices, working from home productivity increases.
The reason behind this phenomenon is quite simple — happy workers are productive workers!
3. Future-proofing your talent pool
Millennials will make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025, according to projections by Deloitte. And this generation has a very different approach to the workplace. Millennial workers are on the hunt for jobs with flexible hours and remote work options.
You won’t be able to retain top talent if you expect them to be in the office from 9-5, Monday-Friday. Companies that see their employees as human beings will be the norm going forward.
4. Reducing overhead costs
If all of your employees are working from home, what’s the point of operating a big, expensive office? It’s becoming clear that employees are happy working from home. And employers are reaping the benefits in the savings.
Some employees have chosen to downsize their office space by employing a hot desk system. This is a convenient option for partially remote workforces who only go to the office 2-3 days a week.
Other companies have chosen to go fully remote and lose the office entirely to reduce the expense of renting and maintaining it. It’s saving companies decent amounts of money, and it’s better for the environment, too!
Flexible transport for the modern workforce
Is your company thinking of going either semi or fully remote? Or is your company introducing flexible work hours? Whether your workers come to the office two days out of the week or five, they need transport options that are as flexible as they are!
That’s where Bolt comes in.
It’s easier than ever to get your workers where they need to be with Bolt Business. Employees can order reliable transportation with a tap in the Bolt app. And organisations can sign up with either a Team Account or Work Profile.
Both options allow companies of every size, from solopreneur to SME, to efficiently manage every aspect of their organisation’s travel and expenses.
Sign up with Bolt Business today!