Give and take of flexibility

Prioritising employees’ needs can boost staff retention and productivity, writes Dayforce’s lead executive in Australia and New Zealand, Brian Donn.

Do you think your organisation is as accommodating as possible when it comes to work scheduling? While you may have answered yes, there’s a better-than-average chance your team doesn’t agree.

In fact, in the wake of the postCOVID-19 return-to-work push, we’ve seen the emergence of a significant disconnect between New Zealand business leaders who think they understand the challenges their people are facing and frontline workers doing the hard yards.

UNDER PRESSURE AND READY TO BAIL

Just 43 per cent of New Zealand employees enjoy a work schedule that fits into their life very or extremely well, according to recent Dayforce research.

The rest? A significant proportion are ‘flight risks’, uncertain times notwithstanding. A whopping 86 per cent of workers, and 89 per cent of managers globally, say they’re willing to switch jobs if it means securing a better schedule.

The decision to start considering one’s options is even more easily made if an employer is amping up the pressure; setting more ambitious performance goals and expecting workers to go an extra mile or several to meet them, as a matter of course.

And that’s just what many New Zealand organisations are attempting to do, as they navigate challenging economic conditions, namely, inflation, interest rate rises and an increasingly complex and volatile geopolitical landscape.

HIGH COST OF CHURN

When an employee moves on, replacing them can be a disruptive and expensive process.

New Zealand continues to endure skills shortages across a range of occupations and industries. That’s part of the reason completing a new hire in this country takes between 36 days and 50 days and costs more than $23,000, according to one 2022 survey of HR professionals in Australia and New Zealand.

Rinse and repeat multiple times and the costs can quickly add up to a significant sum.

Moreover, a revolving door recruitment model means productivity and customer experience are likely to be suboptimal, given that new recruits inevitably need time to get up to speed with their roles and the workings of the organisation they’ve joined.

That’s why, for local businesses focused on profitability and growth, prioritising employee retention makes sound sense, both economically and operationally.

STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER

So, what are the steps your organisation can take to keep high-calibre employees engaged and on the team?

When considering frontline or deskless workers, creating flexible and fair work schedules is an excellent start, given that flexibility is the job attribute 50 per cent of workers say they value most.

For office or desk workers that doesn’t mean attempting to implement a one-size-fits-all hybrid working model that sees every employee required to attend the office for a prescribed number of days each week.

Rather, business leaders should be taking a more holistic approach regardless of the type of work involved; offering employees greater control over the hours when they work and deploying platforms and processes that help them to manage flexible workforces more effectively.

Automated scheduling and rostering software, for example, can enable employees to swap shifts with suitably qualified co-workers, without the need for authorisation from their line managers or the HR department. Automated skills initiatives can help them catalogue their existing capabilities and connect them with internal opportunities to use and augment their skills and experience.

TALLYING THE BENEFITS

Taking this sort of practical, proactive approach can deliver significant organisational benefits.

Employees whose flexibility needs are met won’t only stick around for longer, they’ll work longer and harder during the times when they are on the job.

They’re less likely to experience burnout, too.

You’ll also make your organisation a more welcoming and inclusive place to work, for qualified candidates whose circumstances and needs, including disability, caring responsibilities and geographic location, mean they can’t commit to traditional nineto-five arrangements.

You and your rostering teams will have an easier time of it too, given that an increase in workplace flexibility generally leads to reduced absenteeism and fewer coverage challenges.

And a present, motivated team is more likely to deliver the positive outcomes and stand-out service that keeps your customers or clients coming back for more.

SETTING YOUR ENTERPRISE UP FOR A STRONGER FUTURE

Whatever the nature of your business, a loyal engaged workforce will always be your greatest asset. Offering them the flexibility they want and deserve will help you keep your best people on their game and on the team for longer. Moreover, your organisation will be better placed to respond to future disruption and changes to the workplace landscape. That’s why investing in technology that enables workforce adaptability and agility is likely to prove an excellent move.

Brian Donn is the Managing Director of Asia-Pacific & Japan at Dayforce. With more than 25 years of market experience, Brian has held leadership positions across the Asia-Pacific region, including Oracle, Verint Systems Inc, and KANA Software. At Dayforce, Brian is focused on empowering customers with the digital transformation of their people processes in a constantly changing world of work.