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.