It was recently highlighted once more that flexible working practices can add value to individual workers and organisations all together, according to an industry expert.
Dr Graeme Codrington, futurist at Tomorrowtoday.uk.com, said that encouraging remote working can help businesses become more flexible and also boost staff retention.
He noted that there are huge cost benefits in reducing office space, as well as improving productivity and efficiency through reductions in the morning and evening commutes, which may entice staff.
“Flexibility has been a consistent top-rated engagement policy in research for at least the last decade, so anything employers can do to increase flexibility will gain rewards in engagement and staff retention,” Dr Codrington added.
It was also noted that it will not just be the younger generation of workers spearheading the drive towards flexible working practices.
The expert commented that the baby boomer generation are now coming to retirement age, but many will want to continue working fewer hours from home, rather than stepping away from the working world entirely.
These statements were also backed up in another article which stated, “The emergence of flexible e-workers or electronic-freelancers will be a growing trend, supported by electronic tablets and smartphones”
Furthermore, “Projects will be managed much the way they are on a movie set with people with key skills coming together for key projects, working for an agreed period of time, and then the team will abandon Flexible working practices”
The world of work is changing – are you changing with it?
