The Covid19 pandemic has been a disruptor of enormous magnitude with the issue of how we work sitting precariously on the fault line. Everything about how and where we work changed and both workers and employers seem to be stuck trying to find a comfortable balance, perhaps unwilling to make a move for fear of falling – or maybe it’s a matter of FLEXIBILITY.
THIS ARTICLE MAKES YOU THINK
Each weekend, Lloyd publishes several newsletters filled with curated content. We select articles and pieces from a variety of sources and ultimately our reader audience dictates their issue’s contents using artificial intelligence based on individual interests. This past weekend, our Sunday Reader had a high click rate on an article that appeared in Fast Company titled, “How True Flexibility in Work Can Attract More Employees,” written by Susan Gentz. This piece spoke openly about the need for companies to go beyond “remote” and move into a world beyond “standard operating hours.”
Flexibility has long been a trait that companies cite when they are looking to hire.
Job postings are filled with employers who desire an individual who will approach his or her job with a flexible mindset, who can adapt easily to change and is able demonstrate an ability to be flexible by learning new skills and responding quickly to problematic situations.
Sound about right?
WHO SHOULD BEND MORE?
Are companies equally as flexible?
We think they are learning to be, especially in this economy and with the challenges of recruiting qualified talent. If you are an employer struggling with open positions and not experiencing very good results from recruiting efforts, maybe flexibility is in your future when it comes to…
- Work day hours
- Job location
- Staggered arrival and departure times
- Condensed work weeks with longer daily hours
- Job Sharing partnerships
- Hiring requirements for degrees, background checks or years of experience
- Work/life balance options – especially for individuals with kids, eldercare issues or wellness challenges
The article’s author shares how being a consultant has offered her and others many of these options and freedoms, but hints that companies that are willing to offer flexibility may find a great big new talent pool of potential workers knocking on their door.
Flexibility is a two-way street.
IT’S ABOUT TIME
Shared by the Wall Street Journal…
– A new survey of more than 10,000 knowledge workers found 95% want to set their own hours
– 72% of workers who weren’t happy with their level of flexibility (time or location) are likely to seek out a new opportunity within the next 12 months.
– Hybrid work schedules are preferred by more than two-thirds of those surveyed
– Focusing on how many hours people work is becoming outdated and replaced by understanding the results individuals are driving and the value they are creating regardless of work site or schedule.
TALENT MATTERS
