The ongoing ‘talk’ is all about Brexit, which may leave us all in a state of despondency, but whatever happens next in the Brexit chapter it is not going to help businesses retain and attract talent.
So what do businesses need to be doing in 2019 to ensure that they hold onto and recruit talent? With employment levels at an all-time high, they need to try and tap into existing but underutilised sources, which for localised businesses, may well be on their doorstep.
Students attending university who have 20 hours a week to earn or highly skilled mothers who haven’t returned to the workforce after maternity leave (only 2% even took up shared parental leave) are two key groups who could be valuable to businesses, as long as they are offered flexible working that fits with their existing commitments.
In order to attract this workforce, businesses need to change. Agility and flexibility are key. Virtual teams are increasingly common. Fast growing businesses are developing their own structures away from the traditional set up. Increasingly these structures help to give employees better work life balance. If businesses continue to stick to rigid working hours or locations they will be inadvertently closing their doors to specific groups of potential talent.
If you are a business who is thinking about having more flexible staff – what should you be aware of?
The Pro’s
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It enables you to attract a larger pool of talent in a difficult recruitment market.
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There are considerable cost savings. The reduction of ongoing recruitment and training costs as well as the investment made in current employees, the cost of renting office space.
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Homeworkers tend to have a much higher productivity rate. A Cardiff University study suggests 39% do extra hours compared to 24% for office based employees.
The Con’s
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There are managerial challenges around performance management of homeworkers and the best way to involve them in the business and their team.
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Working remotely can lead to feeling of isolation and disconnection.
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Increased levels of back pain are reported as the number of homeworkers increase as they are not working in conducive working environments.
So what is key to being successfully flexible?
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Changing your business’s attitude to flexible working to see it as positive.
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Establishing clear communication channels and expectations across the business.
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Learning to trust your employees. The focus should be on outcomes rather than the length of time it take to complete a job.
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Clearly disseminating the culture of the firm so that homeworkers feel included. Build on the employer/employee relationship.
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Demonstrate that the business cares through initiatives such as a robust wellness/benefits portal that is user friendly and easily accessed.
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Harnessing technology. Installing flexible user friendly online systems that enable a variety of communication to be used for the benefit of both the homeworker and the business.
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Help equip the homeworker so that they have a fully functioning office within their home environment.
More than ever we are seeing a requirement for agility and flexibility in the workforce. With very little change (other than a degree of mental shift) this can be achieved. Those businesses that ignore work life balance do so with an inherent degree of risk.
Get in touch today to learn how Redway HR can support you in implementing flexible or agile working. We’re here to help.