The last 20 years has seen a dramatic growth in flexible working as employees and employers recognise that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. In fact, a recent ‘Job Exodus’ survey conducted by Investors In People¹ found that 34% of employees would prefer flexible working to a 3% pay rise. The dramatic growth of mobile communications and high speed broadband has enabled a growing number of people to take flexible working to the ultimate stage. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) an estimated 13.9% of the workforce, or a massive 4.2 million workers, now work from home.

In the full-text article, Richard Manby, managing director of Bodet Ltd, the British subsidiary of the Bodet Group discusses the pros and cons of the growth in flexible working, and  concludes that allowing staff to work from home increases job satisfaction and means happier staff, both of which engender higher morale, loyalty and engagement. It also means employers can broaden their talent pool by taking on the best staff as there are no longer geographical limits. Providing the opportunity for staff to work from home is also a powerful retention tool and leads to lower staff turnover.
Remote working doesn’t work across the board, as industries such as manufacturing and retail require on-site attendance. It’s not unusual for sales teams to be based off-site and work directly from home, but the opportunity for administrative and management staff to work from home can be a real benefit for both employer and employee.

Of course there are disadvantages as well. If staff are not on-site, managers may perceive a problem monitoring individual performance. However, seeing staff in the office is only monitoring presence; regular communication and setting goals and KPIs is a far more effective way to measure performance. Staff interaction and maintaining team spirit are more difficult if staff work remotely, but if this is an issue, splitting time between home and office working is an easy solution.
Being based at home, either all or part of the working week, has real advantages for both employees and employers. If the latest time and attendance solutions allow even more companies the opportunity for staff to work more flexibly, be more productive and improve their work-life balance, then it’s a win-win situation for all.

Shared from HR Review