Flexible Working isn’t just for Home Workers

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Easy Offices has written a few blog posts on home working and / or flexible working this year. There’s no doubt it’s one of the current industry ‘buzz words’ as more and more companies seek innovative ways to accommodate their staff and create the perfect environment for them to work in.

Improvements in communications and mobile technology mean staff can keep in touch with the office, colleagues and clients in any number of ways. This allows smaller companies not only a potential saving on overheads but also allows their staff to respond more quickly to the needs and desires of their customer base. Instant messenger software, mobile technology, Audio and visual conferencing can all be utilised and allow collaboration between workers and companies without physically being in the same building.

A recent Vodafone UK study found that companies in the UK could potentially save around ~34bn by freeing up desk space and allowing their staff to work more flexibly. Easy Offices has come up with 5 tips to better utilise flexible working below:

1. Feedback – speak to your staff about what’s important to them, conduct some simple surveys and ask for feedback. This will help come up with solutions that are popular and practical for all parties.

2. Targets – you can still set targets or goals for flexible workers but you may have to think about what is realistic or feasible. Productivity goals will ensure that the work is still done and by ensuring that systems are in place for staff to communicate and collaborate should ensure that these tasks are completed on time.

3. Awareness – understand what it is your staff do, how they do it and what support or infrastructure they need to enable them to do their job efficiently. By identifying who needs to be office based and who doesn’t will allow you to create systems and support for those that need it most, thereby reducing office space but still allowing them to work as usual but saving costs in the process.

4. Future Proofing – get an overview of how your company functions not only today but in the short term also. Will your Industry change in the next few years, will the requirements of your clients or your staff change? Technology and software play a huge part in this type of planning so make sure you’re aware of new developments and understand how they may assist you.

5. Making that move – you don’t need to change absolutely everything all at once and more than likely such a drastic change wouldn’t be welcome anyway but the longest journeys all start with a single step…………..
Initiate change with those staff or departments that it is most applicable to, change is a gradual process and the only way to ensure success is through the support and engagement of staff and management alike.

We’d love to hear what you think and if your company has made or is planning to make any future changes as detailed above. Let us know in the comments below or give us a call directly if you want to find a more flexible working solution.

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