Full-Service HR

Flexible Work Policy Considerations

Chelsea Bikner
Flexible Work Policy
Reading time 5 Mins
Published on Dec 3
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As younger workers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, have come to see a greater work-life balance as non-negotiable, flexible work policies can be your company’s ticket to attracting and retaining the best talent from this growing pool of workers. When implemented well, flexible work arrangements also allow businesses to improve working conditions, reduce operating costs, and improve employee loyalty, without sacrificing performance or success. Here are a few things you should consider if you’re thinking about instituting a flexible work policy at your company.

 

Why should I offer work flexibility?

With careful thought and a well-thought policy implementation, flexible work arrangements can be mutually beneficial for your business and your employees. Companies that offer flexible work arrangements tend to experience lower employee turnover, while also reporting higher employee satisfaction and productivity. You may also find that flex policies allow you to lower operating costs by reducing the amount of floor space you need for workers and that it gives you greater hiring flexibility. Got a great candidate that has commitments that keep them from working during your traditional operating hours? Flexible work arrangements make it possible for you to land that talent and make your business stronger.

A flexible work policy can also provide a multitude of benefits to your workers. They no longer have to worry about feeling guilty for having a dentist appointment in the middle of the workday or needing to request time off to volunteer at their child’s school. By providing a better work-life balance, flexible work arrangements allow employees to experience less stress about work and to enjoy their work more.

Do I need an official policy?

With compliance and risk management issues looming if not implemented fairly, you should always have an official policy for flexible work arrangements. Standardize your policy and procedures for handling requests for flex working conditions. Spell out any requirements or policies for qualifying for a flex arrangement – including if any specific positions or departments are ineligible. You should also specify criteria for continuing to be allowed to have a flex arrangement. If an employee’s performance or output begins to suffer, it may be grounds for recalling them to a traditional work arrangement. Decisions about who gets to participate in flex arrangements shouldn’t be paid piecemeal or in a silo. A clearly written policy will help keep you compliant and ensure that everyone understands the program.

How do I keep my team connected?

It can be easy for teams with flex workers to get discouraged by a lack of communication. Nip this in the bud before it even becomes an issue by leveraging technology to allow employees to easily communicate with each other on project statuses, see who is currently online or offline, and to quickly share important information. If you don’t have your own internal communication tool, applications like Slack and Glip can be quickly installed on your flex workers’ computers (even remotely) and their intuitive use makes them an excellent choice for users across the board.

Schedule regular check-in sessions via weekly or monthly group meetings to allow everyone to get together either on a conference call or video call. Staying connection ensures that employees have both autonomy and accountability, both of which are crucial to ensuring productivity and success in flexible working arrangements.

Is flex for everyone?

While a flexible work policy may seem like a dream come true for some employees, for others it’s a recipe for disaster. For some employees, the office environment is required to help them be successful. The routine and structure of daily office life are what they crave, and they enjoy separating home life from work life. For others, there are simply too many distractions in the home to allow them to focus on work.

From distractions by neighbors to taking care of children, it can be difficult to complete work tasks when you have so much going on around you. Some employees need the social aspect of a traditional work environment to be successful. In fact, for many new hires, the culture and vibe of the workplace may be why they chose to apply to your company in the first place. Take into account the needs of your individual team members when considering who to offer flex arrangements to.

Let Sheakley help

Deciding to implement a flexible work policy is a big deal for any company, particularly if it’s not something you’ve ever done in the past. You’ll need to ensure that your supervisors are trained and adequately prepared to manage from afar and to keep up to date on project statuses and output when employees are more than just a few steps down the hall. Sheakley’s PEO and Human Resources Outsourcing experts can help your team write and implement your policy while ensuring that your management team is ready to face any challenges that may come.

Learn more about Sheakley’s PEO and HR team and contact us for your free consultation today. Stay up-to-date on all things Sheakley by subscribing to our blog and following us on social media. Join in the discussion by commenting below.


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