According to a recent study by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), flexible working is offered by 94 per cent of organisations, while half of managers say it is the norm where they work. But does this mark the end of the working-week as we know it? Or is ‘flexible working’ an unsustainable trend?
Earlier this year, Marissa Mayer, CEO at Yahoo! sparked debate when she banned her staff from working from home. The announcement was widely debated in HR circles after she reportedly made the decision to reprimand employees who were abusing the system. Only time will tell if this move has aided efficiency and productivity. But in the age of the open source movement, mobile internet and the rise of the cloud, is it realistic to expect employees to commute to their desks each day?
ILM’s survey of 1,000 managers found that three-quarters said their organisation was supportive of flexible working and 62 per cent said they had senior managers acting as role models. The most prevalent forms were flexible hours, followed by part-time working, off-site working and job sharing.
It seems that the downward mobility traditionally associated with part-time roles and job share is finally a thing of the past. Savvy HR professionals are tapping into talent that would otherwise be overlooked by recruiting staff on a flexible basis. Mid to senior level professionals with valuable experience and skills are being snapped up – even if they are unwilling to commit to 40 hours a week in the office. This is particularly evident within the media and entertainment industries where success is measured on creativity and ideas – not hours spent at a desk. It’s also prevalent in sectors that embrace the online infrastructure necessary to facilitate a flexible working culture, such as the digital and tech arenas.
While some HR Directors argue that teamwork and collaboration can only be nurtured in a traditional office environment, other senior HR professionals believe that we are moving towards an era where nine-to-five working is a thing of the past. What’s your experience with flexible working? Let us know by commenting below.
