Considering the benefits of a more
flexible work arrangement for employees of your company? We don’t blame you.
We’re big believers that flexible work arrangements are the future of many (if
not most) workplaces.
And we aren’t alone...some pretty
smart people agree! According to a recent Inc.com article:
_“...Bill_
_Gates shared what he thinks is the most important perk companies can give the_
_best employees: **flexible work**_
_**arrangements**_
_.”_
Also from the same article:
_“Now a new study from_ _Harvard Business School_ _says companies_
_that let their employees "work from anywhere" and work whenever they_
_want wind up with employees who are more loyal, more productive and cost less.”_
Why Does Flexibility Work?
What are some of the reasons why the
ability to work outside of the typical office environment is so popular and
generates loyalty?
●Employees can choose to live in more affordable
locations, which in turn boosts their real incomes;
●They can more easily take care of other personal
needs, such as caring for children or elderly parents;
●Less time spent commuting;
●More
flexibility to travel and set their own schedules
Tips for a Successful Flexible Work Arrangement Rollout at Your Business
**1.** **Define very clear outcomes and measures of success**
When your team is dispersed to more
locations and working on more flexible schedules, you’ll have less oversight of
exactly _how_
they do their daily work.
The best way to make this work for both employer and employee is to have very
clear **outcome-based metrics**
that
your employee’s performance will be measured against. After all, it’s the
results of their work that you’re really after.
**2.** **Put as much of your work**
**processes and tools online**
Each employee in a new location
effectively creates a new office for your business, which can create a
logistical nightmare if you don’t have the right tools and processes in place
to support them.
So what are the “right” tools and
processes?
That will vary by the nature of your
business of course, but we can say with certainty that you’ll be better off by
transitioning as much as you can online.
Online systems and processes are, by
their nature, more easily scaled to multiple locations.
**3.** **Hold virtual face-to-face**
**meetings on a regular basis**
Getting face time with your team is
still incredibly valuable, no matter how flexible your work arrangements are. A
great way to accomplish this is by using tools with video call capabilities
such as [Facebook\\
Workplace](https://www.facebook.com/workplace/about), Zoom,
or Slack.
All of these tools are great for
quick one-on-one meetings and can accommodate large team meetings as well,
creating more of a ‘team’ feel and more personal connections.
**4.** **Bring your team together at**
**least once each year**
If possible, we highly
recommend that you still find a way to get your teams together in-person at
least once each year. Nothing beats the opportunity to connect and meet the
people you work with every day.
Be Flexible In Your Approach
Pun intended!
Seriously though, we’ve learned that making a flexible work arrangement policy
work takes time, commitment, and flexibility - but the rewards can be worth it!