An Introduction to Flexible Work Strategies

There are a variety of work strategies that exist throughout the world of work; there are approaches to employment that allow for no independence when it comes to the intervals in which employees choose to engage in their projects. In such strategies, individuals must start their work at a predefined time, and end it on a similar basis, with an interval of time preset in regards to rest (usually, this happens during 12:00). Alternatively, a flexible work strategy focuses on a system of work that gives employees a better chance to readjust the relative time and location of their employment. This type of work arrangement has been recently growing in popularity.

In 2022, it has been predicted that flexible work arrangements will be increasingly in demand by employees. In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic emerged which greatly incentivized work from home policies. After this type of work strategy had been in place for around 2 years, many working individuals had experienced a variety of relevant benefits, some of these ranging from an overall level of increased productivity, to obtaining a suitable work life balance. For this reason, flexible work systems are becoming increasingly popular throughout the world.

If your company is aiming to implement a flexible arrangement of employment in the long term, the following article will help explain certain details, and thus your company can better implement certain policies, better allowing you to choose a particular style of work that best fits the culture within your company.

What is a Flexible Work Strategy?

Simply put, Flexible Work Arrangement allows employees to work more independently, and on their own accord. Through this system, employees are allowed certain freedoms, such as:

• Flexibility regarding work schedules.
• Flexibility regarding the number of hours worked. Examples include working full time or part time.
• Flexibility regarding work locations. Examples include remote working, hybrid working or on-site work.

Through technology, flexible work arrangements have become increasingly applicable within a work based setting. Such changes can allow for a much more independent worker atmosphere.

Advantages of Flexible Work Strategies

The benefits of Flexible work will be able to provide a variety of benefits for both the worker and the employer. These can include:

• Reducing costs of operation.
• Increasing employee productivity.
• Increasing employee retention.
• Reducing employee absenteeism.
• Companies will find it easier to recruit employees because most of today’s employees are interested in flexible work.
• Enables companies to survive throughout emergencies such as the current pandemic.
• Promotes a better work life balance for employees.
• Employees can avoid stress.

Types of Flexible Work Arrangements

Apart from remote working, it is important to understand that there are a variety of flexible working systems that can be applied. When you can have a flexible work system that best suits the conditions of your company, then various benefits can be obtained by both the company and the employee.

Here are several types of flexible work arrangements:

1. Remote Working

Remote working is a prime example of a flexible system of employment that is quite popular and in demand by many employees. This work system is also known as Work From Home or often abbreviated as WFH. Broadly speaking, remote working is a flexible arrangement that allows employees to work remotely outside the physical location of their office. Through such work arrangements, employees can be applied from their homes, essentially. They are given the freedom to work from any location they want, such as from home, cafes, a co-working space, etc.

Upon implementing this system of work, the company must also ensure that employees have a strong internet connection. Additionally, the company must also prepare several things so that employees can continue to work productively. Some of these are online attendance applications, video conferencing applications, team chat applications, project management applications, work monitoring applications, and others. Thus, the company increases its efficiency in replicating office based employment from a distance.

2. Flextime

A Flexible Work Arrangement, hereinafter referred to as flextime or flexible time, is a work arrangement where employees work full time but they will have varying working hours. For example, employees can start work from 8:00 to 17:00, or from 9:00 to 18:00.

When running this work system, the company will determine the core time where all employees will work at the same time so as to facilitate the collaboration process between teams. For example, by making the core time between 9:00 and 15:00.

3. Part Time

Part time is a part-time work system so employees will have fewer working hours than other work systems. When employees work part time they will have a total of less than 40 hours a week. That means, employees will not work for 8 hours per day.

4. Compressed work week

A compressed work week is a flexible work arrangement where employees can fulfill their responsibilities to work 40 hours in less than five working days. For example, in a day a full time employee can work 10 hours for 4 working days. This work system is generally chosen by employees who want to get a longer holiday in a week.

You need to know, this compressed work week system is suitable for companies engaged in the following fields:

• Forestry and mining
• Utilities
• Manufacture
• Education and health care services
• Retail

So, if the company operates within the industrial sector, your company may be able to run a compressed work week system. This way, your company’s employees will be allowed to have longer periods of rest so they can get more time to spend time with their families. However, you need to remember that this work system also has a drawback, namely that employee productivity may decrease at the end of the day due to long working hours.