What is Flexible Work?

(Image Credit: Photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash)

Do you offer flexibility in your workplace?

According to Lifeworks Inc’s latest mental health index, 55% of Canadians said flexible or hybrid work arrangements are more important to them than career progression. 

The traditional 9-to-5 work week is no longer the only way to work.

The pandemic provided employees greater flexibility with the shift to remote work. 

Flexibility in when and where we work has become a priority for many of our employees post-pandemic. 

The 2021 EY Work Reimagined Employee Survey revealed that 54% of employees will leave their job if they aren't offered flexibility in where and when they work.

While organizations continue to explore flexibility at work, it’s important to understand the emergence of flexible work and how it is implemented in the workplace.

What is Flexible Work?

Flexible work arrangements are agreements between an employer and employee to follow an alternate work schedule where an employee chooses their work hours. These schedules are different from the traditional 9-to-5 work week, and employees may change when and where they work to meet their personal needs or commitments outside of work.

The idea of flexible work emerged in the 1960s when Christel Kammerer suggested the concept of “flexiwork” for mothers and caregivers to choose their start and end times. Flexible work can be starting your day earlier and leaving work earlier or working 10-hour days during the week to enjoy a three-day weekend. 

In Canada, employees have the right to request a flexible work arrangement under the Canada Labour Code. Your employees may request a flexible work arrangement after they’ve worked at your organization for six months and their request involves changes to their work hours, work schedule, or location of work. 

There are a number of things to consider when implementing variable work schedules, including overtime considerations, checking in with managers and so much more.

Why is Flexible Work Important?

From avoiding long commutes to being able to attend school events, flexible work provides several benefits to employees. Flexible work arrangements allow employees to experience better work-life balance, improved health and wellness, improved engagement, and higher job satisfaction.

For employers, flexible work improves workplace culture, increases productivity, reduces absenteeism and turnover, and helps attract top talent. The Gartner 2021 Digital Worker Experience Survey reported that 43% of workers said flexibility helped them achieve greater productivity, while 30% said spending less time commuting also increased their productivity. 

Flexibility has also been linked to supporting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives. According to the Spring 2022 Future Forum Pulse, 38% of Black male employees and 33% of Black female employees would prefer a fully flexible schedule. Supporting EDI initiatives includes making workplaces more flexible for returning parents, those who are caregivers (childcare and eldercare) and those who might volunteer in the community and look for alternate work schedules.

Types of Flexible Work Arrangements 

There are different types of flexible work arrangements that have been introduced to the workplace since the idea of flexible work has emerged. Flexibility is primarily based on the employee’s working hours or the location the employee chooses to work. Here are some of the flexible work arrangements that have been implemented by employers in the past.

Flex Time

Flex time is a flexible work policy or option that allows employees to choose their working hours including when their day starts and when it ends. While their schedule is different from the traditional 9-to-5 week, they still work the same number of scheduled hours. 

Job Sharing

Job sharing is an older flex work option that is not as common in our current workplaces. 

Job sharing is when two employees share roles or responsibilities. For example, two part-time employees will share the tasks and responsibilities that would be executed by a full-time employee. 

Compressed Work Week 

A compressed work schedule is when employees work longer days during the week in exchange for a day off during that week. For example, employees might have four-day work weeks of 10-hour days and employees get three-day weekends every week.

Reduced Hours

A reduced hours schedule allows employees to work fewer than the standard 40 hours per week. This option is ideal for those with health problems or disabilities. It is important for employers and employees to keep in mind that reduced hours can impact employee benefits and qualifications for government programs. 

Split Shifts

Split shifts are splitting an 8-hour shift into two 4-hour intervals. This arrangement allows an employee to attend to personal responsibilities in between their shifts. 

Leaves and Sabbaticals 

Leaves and sabbaticals are used when an employee would like to take time away from work without losing their position at a company. Paid and unpaid leaves are usually taken for health, family, education, or leisure. Sabbaticals are breaks from work that are normally paid and can last from a few weeks up to a full year.  

As when and where we work continues to change, the demand for flexibility will continue to increase as employees seek better work-life balance. Providing greater flexibility at work will not only create a culture that supports the health and well-being of your employees but will also result in a more productive workforce. 

How do you plan to incorporate flexibility in your workplace?

If you’re interested in learning more about bringing flex appeal to your organization join our mentor circle on Wednesday July 27th at 12:00 PM. Register here!