Flexible working now the norm

Four fifths of UK companies are now offering their staff flexible working, according to Flexible Working Goes Global from Regus.

But trust remains a major hurdle for many companies with over a third of UK businesses only offering this privilege to senior staff. Those companies embracing flexible working practices are reaping major benefits: 40% report improved staff productivity; 67% say staff achieve a better work-life balance; and 55% acknowledge that flexible working costs less than conventional, fixed office working.

Flexible working can incorporate office hours and/or location. Indeed, a quarter of respondents pointed to the recruitment benefits of mobile or home working, claiming flexibility in location helps them access a wider talent pool and attract staff based in remote areas. Rising oil prices are likely to further focus attention on remote working in the coming months, as UK employers face pressure to help commuters reduce their monthly transport costs.

The key findings of the research as it relates to the UK are:

83% of firms offer flexible working, whether related to office hours or location
38% only offer flexible working as a privilege to senior staff
proportion of firms reporting that flexible working
costs less than fixed office working (55%)
improves employee productivity (40%)
enables a better work-life balance ( 67%)
is more family-friendly (81%)
makes staff more motivated (36%)
helps attracts a wider talent pool (21%)
in terms of location (remote working) enables them to employ valuable people that live in more remote parts of their country (24%)
is pivotal in achieving business scalability as we emerge from recession (22%)
encourages staff to be more self-sufficient and pro-active in their work (37%)

Article published on this blog and 'Britain's Got HR Talent' Linkedin group with kind permission of Craig Gordon of www.HRBullets.co.uk