Why Workplace Flexibility Is a Smart Strategy

​The ability to work from home and choose your own schedule used to be a luxury that only bosses could do but now it is becoming more and more prevalent in a variety of workplaces. Workers from all areas of expertise and experiences are able and willing to work from remote locations.

We all know the dreaded 9-5 cubicle life with bland grey walls and bad lighting. That kind of working condition creates an unproductive state of mind. Savvy leaders are starting to understand this and are starting to use workplace flexibility as a strategy, not just a perk.

With all this new technology, work can be easily done anywhere. A number of companies have implemented communication tools like Slack, Google Hangouts, and Skype from smartphones which has allowed their employees to work remotely. Even in the office, it is much more common to email a co-worker rather than walk down the hall to communicate to the same person. “Eighty percent of people want to telework; 50 to 65 percent hold a job that could be done remotely at least half of the time,” said Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics.

So who’s contributing to this workplace flexibility? Believe it or not, Millennials.

According to an article in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “studies show that, by 2020, Millennials will make up 50 percent of the global workforce -- and that, also by 2020, 50 percent of all U.S. employees will work remotely.”

How do you feel about this kind of workplace flexibility? Would you trust your employees to choose their own schedule and work when they want? Studies have shown that this is a feasible option for all workers and the results have been positive.

Written by Katie Silvers
​katie@invigoratehr.com

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