SYSTEMS INTEGRATION ASIA
DIGITAL SIGNAGE
Flexible Working is The Death of the 9 to 5 Mitigate the extra workload that comes with that change
a catalyst for change to the working environment that suits them much better, with—according to the Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2020— 84% now utilizing some form of flexible working. By overlooking the growing demand, businesses are missing out on a large chunk of talent that now expects at least some form or flexible working.
Not that type of flexible working
Flexible working may perhaps have started out as a perk for the lucky few, but as a post-COVID vaccine world emerges, it is making itself into a widely accepted—or even encouraged—policy for a safer return to work. Though it may not be the death knell for the outdated 9 to 5, attitudes the world over have made a massive shift from “it’ll never happen!” to that of becoming standard practice.
The hesitation from many leaders across organizations though is palpable. People say change is good, and that change is for the better. However, those people often have not yet thought through what ‘change’ entails. Leaders are not made leaders for nothing, they are acutely aware of all the hard work required to make change a success, and how to offset as much of it as possible. Post-Vaccine Predictions
A temporary yet sharp increase in workload before benefits and enhanced efficiencies are achieved are par for the course when going through a seismic change in any organization. How this workload is mitigated is the true test for any organization. The Uptick in Flexible Working Employers the world over have had to place a lot of trust in their workforce, and challenged their own beliefs that staff without a manager spying over their shoulder are inclined to slack off. That gamble paid off for employers: according to a survey of 16,000 employees at a Chinese firm, employees who were permitted to work flexibly increased their productivity by 13%. Meanwhile, the slice of the workforce pie that consists of millennials is continuously growing. A notoriously tricky group to appeal to, flexible working resonates strongly with them. COVID has in fact been
40
What’s up next once we’re vaccinated?
With many nations’ vaccine rollout charging ahead at full steam, the return to the office is not just a speck on the horizon. It is a critical moment for business and organizations to reconsider their policies, and how to adapt to this brave new world. Stick with the old and fade out of existence, or grab a ride on the high-speed train to the future and adopt futurecentric work policies today. The journey to a fully-functioning flexible working policy is a long road with plenty of hurdles along the way. Understandably, stakeholders across many MAY 2021
