Flexible
Workin
A large majority of independent workers
in our joint research adopted flexible
working by choice.
Only 36 percent regarded it as a stop-gap solution. Most young
flexible workers surveyed - some 82 percent of 18-26-year olds
had aspired to a flexible working life, and 89 percent saw it as
an attractive long-term path to follow. In addition, according to
LinkedIn data, a growing number of highly-skilled professionals are
embracing independent status as a rewarding career path.
Labour market policies can be restrictive or even punitive,
companies’ HR systems can be inflexible, education can still serve
traditional employment models, and society can still place a stigma
on independent workers. We clearly need to adopt a different
mindset if we are to unleash the full benefits of the gig economy.
A forced but positive step
The world of work is constantly changing. Every day we celebrate
new discoveries, products, services and design, pushing industries
to do more, be more efficient, work smarter and provide better
solutions. We celebrate doing things differently. Yet it has taken
a global pandemic for organisations to realise that flexible and
remote working can not only work but can generate a more
productive, motivated workforce whilst also reducing office,
transport and HR overheads.
Obviously, some industries will find it easier to revise their
working practices, for example tech giants and financial services
due to their reliance on IT to operate. For example, Barclays
are reviewing their need for a big city office after having over
70,000 employees across the country successfully work from
home. Amazon, Google, Facebook, Spotify, WPP, RBS, Twitter
and Mastercard have extended their working from home period
past the social distancing easing timeline, with some offering it
as a permanent option. These organisations have transformed
overnight, overcoming resistance, tackling technical and cultural
obstacles and adopting multiple new tools to ensure the safety
and wellbeing of their workforce.
One report, commissioned by Visier, found that three quarters of
respondents believed their manager trusted them to work from
home, with 68% feeling more or equally as productive and bringing
hope to millions of working parents, carers and older workers
across the country. That said, COVID-19 may not have convinced
everyone that remote working is the future of work. The report
polled 1,000 UK remote workers who usually work from home no
more than once a week or not all, sadly found that 47% believed
their employer would reverse the enforced move to remote
working once the current pandemic is over and that 31% claimed
new processes had been introduced to monitor output. In a
recent Adecco Group study across more than 300 organisations,
our results concluded that whilst 30% of respondents feel that
more flexible working will become more commonplace for their
business moving forwards, 33% felt this would not be the case,
with the remaining (and majority) 57% still unsure as to whether
this would become their working norm.
Forced remote working however is not flexible working, there
was no choice in the current situation. Anna Whitehouse
(MotherPukka) and Joeli Brearley (Pregnant Then Screwed) are
just some of those embroiled in the fight for a more productive
and fulfilling work/life balance. For years they have led campaigns
for more flexible working practices which have been met with
tough resistance. From the strain it would place on technological
infrastructure through to a reliance on presenteeism and a lack of
trust, SMEs, global corporations and even Government have long
argued against this new way of working.
A recent survey conducted by Grazia and Instagram found that
54% of women aged 25-54 were beginning to think about making a
change in their work/life balance since the start of lockdown, with
63% reconsidering their current arrangement. More importantly,
28% of women found that by being forced to work from home,
juggling social and family life, is possible for them. Reduced
hours, flexi time, split shifts, job shares, both temporary and
permanent, as lockdown eases and the economy begins to open
up, organisations need to be prepared for the increase in flexible
working requests as employees have proven this new way of
working can and will work.