FAQs - Benefits of Flexible Working

Posted Wed, 02/25/2009 - 17:15 by admin

The award winning research MultiTime shows a direct connection between employee morale and the provision of flexible working hours.

In earlier general studies into flexible working,  it had already been established that there is a similar connection between improved employee morale and

  • reduced absence levels
  • employee retention rates

  • employee productivity

MultiTime's study shows that:-.

 when the organisation recognises the conflict that employees have between work and life commitments i.e. the work:life conflict, and is prepared to provide a crucial support mechanism in the form of flexible working  – then..... employees reciprocate with a new and more positive attitude to work and to the workplace, resulting in these improvements listed above.

 To add further to this, often this "support mechanism" i.e. flexible hours, is most appreciated at a time of pressure, perhaps even crisis, in an employee's life cycle  e.g. when needing to care for small children or an elderly parent.

Therefore, unusually, for a human resources subject, flexible working hours can reach right into the employee's home and homelife. This can explain why the positive benefit coming from this "support mechanism" i.e. flexible hours, is felt even after that “pressured” part of the employee's life has passed, which can furthermore assist towards a more lasting workplace harmony.

work-life balance

 

Of course,  the concept of the work:life conflict is an issue for all people at work irrespective of their age group, their family commitments etc.

So, for example, a younger or single person, perhaps less committed at that point to family obligations, will see the benefits of solving his/her work:life conflict through utilising flexible working in his/her own way e.g. avoiding traffic, using the flexiblity of working time to attend night courses more easily, socialising aspects and so on.