Why Are Executives Still Wary Of Flexible Working?

Flexible working varies in definition depending on the organization. While some companies have flexible policies at the core of their business, others only utilize it on a case-by-case basis based on each worker’s needs.

It is evident that more and more of the workforce expects to have flexible work options in their workplace, rather than it just being a perk.

Still, some companies are wary of adopting flexible work policies due to misconceptions. This is despite research proving time and time again how flexibility can benefit businesses and the well-being of employees. 

Currently, there are five generations that make up today’s workforce and studies have found they all find flexible working to be beneficial in some way or another. Younger generations want flexibility and remote working to accommodate their on-the-go lifestyle, while older generations appreciate flexible hours to care for their families.

According to a Global Workplace Analytics report, remote working has expanded by 22% between 2017 and 2018. Despite this massive growth, employers have expressed concern that remote working would hurt productivity. On the contrary, a report from CoSo Cloud found that 77% of workers reported being more productive when working outside of the office.

Additionally, some executives aren’t convinced of the tangible benefits of flexible working. If a true work-life balance is to be achieved in the workplace, support needs to come from the top down. This can be done by easing the company into this new way of working, such as implementing a one-day remote work pilot program.