Most people have responsibilities outside of their working lives. The time they spend sitting at their office desks is actually only a fraction of what they need to focus on. But, when someone has a lot to think about and they’re trying to fit everything in, it can become extremely stressful.
In that case, if you could alleviate some of that pressure and make life a little easier, wouldn’t that be a good scenario?
That’s why flexible working has become so popular over the last few years.
Check out this TED Talk video which talks about why flexible working should be a normal situation for everyone.
Of course, everyone is different and it may be that working from home or working remotely doesn’t interest all your employees. That’s fine. In that case, they can continue working from the office. But, if you do have employees who would like to work from home some or all of the time, or maybe work completely remotely, offering them the chance to do so could be a great stress reliever.
For sure, there are many causes of stress in the workplace but juggling family life, home responsibilities, dreams of travel, and working at the same time, is certainly up there. In that situation, flexible working takes the pressure off and allows a business to retain existing staff who are highly experienced and trained within the company’s procedures.
Does flexible working have downsides? Yes, but these can be managed accordingly. For instance, communication is usually the biggest one, along with a need to self-manage and self-motivate. But, someone who is generally quite motivated will overcome those challenges regardless. As far as communication is concerned, as long as there is a strong Internet connection in place and both managers and employees know how and when to check in, there should be no major issues either.
Overall, giving your employees the option of where they want to work can be a great way to reduce stress that has built up due to too many demands on their time. We all know that workplace stress, and any kind of stress in general, can be extremely damaging to health and productivity. So, by offering flexible working, you’re helping to reduce that and ensure that everyone is happy, healthy, and super-productive as a result.