In today’s global economy, flexibility is becoming a business imperative. It’s fast becoming one of the ‘must haves’ in a job spec for the millennial generation.
Technology has allowed hours to become more blurred and the lines between personal time and working time more fluid.
Companies need to look at innovative ways to allow this new generation flexibility.
With flexibility, the workplace becomes more agile. Flexibility also attracts the talent that works best with outcomes-based goals, can be trusted with accountability, always maintaining a culture of top values.
Flexibility is actually about working smarter. It allows employees to meet both their personal and professional goals without any guilt or resentment. It’s a huge shift for the previous generation – they have to let go of the ‘where, when, what and how the work is being done’ mentality.
It’s a shift to focus on results and outcomes. Clear goals, results and the ability to pass on accountability are the key ingredients to create this new culture of a flexible workforce.
To allow flexibility however, companies need to invest in modern resources and technology. Teams still need to collaborate and work together to meet client expectations and business goals.
Some companies have not bought into a flexible workforce at all. Instead, they bring all the resources to the company’s offices. These resources include the services one needs in one’s daily life – childcare, hairdressers, masseurs, legal counsel, a gym, laundry service, courier service, shopping on line, to name many.
Many companies have reduced their square metre-age, only offering a certain number of hotspots desks for those employees that need to come into the office for a meeting. Salary packages are starting to include benefits such as home fibre, VOIP technology, laptops and smartphones to allow and encourage this transition to a remote, flexible and accountable workforce.
By Lee Dixie
