Flexible work conditions can boast a ton of benefits for many businesses. In fact, according to a survey done by Vodafone, 58% of US companies that practise workplace flexibility saw an increase of some sort in profits. On top of that, 86% of those companies saw a drastic increase in productivity.

That all sounds well and good, but how do you practise workplace flexibility? Well, like anything else in a business, it has to be managed properly in order to see maximum results. For that reason, we’re going to go over six tips on how you can manage flexible work. But first, let’s all start with the same understanding of what workplace flexibility is.

What is workplace flexibility?

Workplace flexibility is the willingness and ability to acclimate to any sort of change in the workplace. This flexibility pertains particularly to how, when, and by whom work gets done.

Flexible work operates with the understanding that both the needs of the employee and the employer need to be met. Oftentimes, workplace flexibility is put into practice in order to better retain and engage with employees.

As we mentioned in the introduction, incorporating a flexible work schedule helps organizations reach goals in regard to profits and productivity, too. 

Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s talk about how you can manage your own workplace flexibility.

1. Encourage collaboration and communication

While it’s true that collaboration and communication are essential in any business, it’s especially true for workplace flexibility. Even if schedules don’t match up or some employees are working remotely, it is vital that you make time for interaction. Whether it be face-to-face meetings, casual video calls, or a team-building event, keep those communication lines open.

Admittedly, part of practicing workplace flexibility is not having a super-defined structure, and instead trusting employees in their work. That being said, it might be helpful to allot time slots for chatting, meetings, and any other form of communication each week. This will ensure employees (and employers) that the door is open for collaboration and communication.

2. Be clear with processes and keep records

When implementing flexible work, accuracy is of the utmost importance. When you have people working remotely, working from proximity offices, and on different schedules than everyone else, you need processes that keep everyone on the same page and help to the same standard.

Part of flexible work management is ensuring that everyone has access to the information that they need, and they’re able to ask questions if any arise. In order to improve on these processes, it’s important to keep records and reference them frequently. 

3. Manage your office and tech wisely

When you have employees coming and going on a flexible schedule, it’s important that you run a tight ship. Yes, you want to give the freedom that employees need to do their work, but you also want to make sure that when they’re in the office, everything runs like clockwork.

On the same note, tech needs to be managed closely, too. Time tracking tools, communication platforms, and everything in between need to be constantly monitored and kept in check. 

If you’ve yet to put a flexible work schedule into place and are considering what you need tech-wise, then I highly suggest asking your team what they would need to make their job easier. They might suggest meeting tools, digital signing tools, or a project management platform. 

4. Make essential data accessible

From marketing and sales to development and product, everyone relies on data to improve. Since a large part of flexible work happens on the move, it is imperative that all essential data is easily accessible to those who need it.

You want to make sure that your employees can effortlessly access their work while on the move. To make that happen, I would suggest looking into mobile tech solutions for micro departments across your business. As an example, you could implement cloud storage and other mobile-friendly solutions to ensure that everyone has the same level of access.

5. Reward hard work

One of the biggest aspects of workplace flexibility that many employers look over is rewarding hard work. Often time, freedom is viewed as a reward, and not an element of trust. This isn’t the right way to think about it, and it will definitely lead to dissatisfied employees.

Nowadays, employees value a workplace where they can exercise a little bit of extra freedom. Instead of being trapped in an office for eight hours a day, staring at a screen, they want to do what they need to do for the day and focus on other things.

Workplace flexibility is the new industry standard, and it’s not going to change anytime soon. Reward your employees when they reach their goals and break new ground. 

6. Don’t default to working from home 

A lot of people view flexible work as a fancy term for working from home. And while working from home is an excellent solution for some, it doesn’t exactly work for everyone. A lot of people need a place that they can go to outside of the normal office and outside of their home. They need a place they can work peacefully but maintain the flexibility and freedom that they need to stay productive.

Nooka provides an excellent solution for those who want workplace flexibility, but aren’t always comfortable at home. It’s the perfect place for individuals to come and go freely, focusing on business while they’re there, and life when they leave.

As an employer, you can even rent a Nookaspace for your employees to work from. They will have the ultimate workplace flexibility, all the amenities they need, and a professional environment outside of the normal office. You can work from where ever works with Nooka. 

Wrapping up

Managing flexible work is a skill that has come to be valued in any business as of late. As more and more employees come to realize that they don’t need to always be at the office, and in some cases can be even more productive with a little bit more freedom, it’s unavoidable that someone will need to put processes in place to manage workplace flexibility.

With all that said, one of the best ways to ensure happiness and productivity with employees is to give them what they need to do their work, including space and freedom. With Nooka, you can have both.

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