Before the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible working was slowly but surely gaining traction, with the emergence of the gig economy and many companies embracing the benefits of employing flexible workers. However, some companies continued to do things in the same way they always had, for example imposing a rigid 9-to-5 work schedule, and insisting every employee turn up to the office every day.
COVID-19 has caused a seismic shift to many people’s working lives, and it has caused major changes that are set to stay with us for a long time, ones which have fundamentally altered the way many people work. It has also altered expectations. 9 out of 10 millennials in the UK expect a more flexible working week in a post-COVID-19 world. Of those aged 25 to 34, 87% now expect to have input on flexible working, a survey of 1,000 by office specialists Workthere found.
The pandemic has forced companies to change very quickly, and the effect has been mostly positive. With a hybrid model of office-based work and work from home set to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic, and trends indicating a preference for a ‘more relaxed’ approach to work among younger generations, workplace flexibility is likely to continue to grow for generations to come.
Here are 5 new trends of flexible working that have emerged this year:
A Desire for More Freedom
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t need to be chained to a desk to do our job. Businesses have had to drastically move their operations from the office to employee’s homes, and leaders have realised that the work still gets done. More importantly, it has allowed many people to create an ideal home-life balance, and this taste of freedom will be hard to give up.
With many people working from home in 2020, it’s clear that this trend is altering the approach and attitude towards what was previously perceived to be a standard working week. With younger generations now used to having flexibility in their week (79% of young Brits already work less than the national average of 38 hours a week), be it when or where they work, the desire for more freedom is a trend that is set to develop further as the UK continues to recover from the pandemic. This will see businesses re-evaluate their previous practices and make changes to accommodate this.
Staff are More Productive and Engaged
Productivity has increased, and commute times are non-existent, saving valuable time that is being used in a more effective way. Providing that employees fully understand what is expected of them, they are able to achieve it, either working independently or by collaborating online with colleagues. Employees have embraced remote working, with many preferring a more flexible work model where they can work at least one or two days at home.
Communication is More Inclusive
Not being able to see and converse with colleagues is surely a negative, but video conferencing and collaboration platforms mostly make up for it – and allow us to see more people in a single space. Communication via these channels is simple, more intimate, and the entire leadership can be present simultaneously, which wasn’t always possible in the pre-COVID business world.
Other positive outcomes of this trend are that discussions are becoming more efficient, quicker decisions are being made, and because everyone is in a similar situation, everyone’s voice is now heard.
The fact that we don’t have to manage immediate relationships means that the energy is instead transferred to producing better work and delivering tangible results.
Hierarchies are being Steamrollered
In the previous point we mentioned how everyone is now in a similar situation, and this has put an end to established hierarchies and thus made us more efficient. Reducing the number of layers in an organisation allows for a more project-based way of working. This way of operating benefits an organisation and its employees because the playing field levels out, allowing more people to get involved. Increased collaboration eventually leads to more efficiency.
Offices Still Have a Purpose
Instead of being the centre of the organisation, it is now clear that we don’t need to rely on offices to run an organisation. A business can still run smoothly via remote working and collaboration tools; however, the traditional office space does still have an important purpose. For example, interviewing and onboarding new hires, and collaborating in a much more immediate way. We still need a space that allows employees to come together to work. Remote working has a lot of advantages, but it also has its flaws. In an office environment there is no reliance on technology to communicate with colleagues, so you can see genuine reactions to a proposal immediately, and communication is not hampered by temperamental Wi-Fi connections.
New Styles of Leadership
Since the onset of the pandemic, leadership has been put to the test like never before. It is clear that for companies to emerge from this crisis stronger and more resilient, it requires a rethink of what it means to lead. Building trust, promoting inclusivity, and clearly communicating a purpose have always been important, but are now essential in this new remote way of working.
In the past few months, leaders have had to place more trust in their employees, and this rise in trust-based working is set to stay. Leaders have had to be very clear on what their expectations are, which gives employees a clear, no-nonsense action plan. Employees then have freedom and empowerment to reach their targets, and finally there is an emphasis on evaluation so that there is full accountability.
This change in leadership style has been positive in the way that it has allowed employees to become more organised with their workloads, and more independent in the way they choose to complete daily tasks. This would have likely given leaders more time to complete their own work instead of spending so much time managing their staff.
Flexibility is Fundamental to the ‘New Normal’
Many of the changes that have affected many workplaces in 2020 are set to continue to be part of normal working life in the future. Our adaptable nature has enabled workers to respond quickly to the effects brought about by COVID-19, and it is this flexibility that will ensure companies are in the best possible position to weather the storms ahead.
RMS is one of the leading providers of retail support services in the UK and Ireland. By utilising a nationwide workforce of skilled, flexible merchandisers, supported by flex, our state-of-the-art resource management system, we deploy teams of staff to support retailers across the country.
