How to design systemic flexibility

When designing flex into roles, make sure you make the viable options fair, consistent, and open to all. People want increased systemic flexibility for a whole range of reasons. If there is one thing this pandemic is revealing, it's that people are reflecting on what is important in their lives. Many employees have reassessed their priorities, leading to a significant shift in their work preferences.

By now, many employees working from home during the lockdown will have made quite firm decisions around how they wish to operate going forward. Some will have decided that nothing in their lives is quite like their family, and for that reason, they wish to extend remote working indefinitely or move to a more flexible working arrangement. This moment of reflection offers an opportunity for organizations to rethink how they approach work-life balance.

Making Flex Work As it stands today, over 90% of jobs are designed to fit office-based 9-5pm working patterns. However, COVID-19 has helped shift preconceived notions and traditions about work schedules. This change is not just temporary; it signifies a long-term trend in how we view work.

As a Victorian premise based around factory working hours, the 9-5 is massively outdated. Modern work demands a more flexible framework. Productivity profiles are more personal; for any organization, productivity and doing a job well are key, so a job should bring out the best in an employee. For example, some people work better in the morning, while others thrive at night. By breaking these time constraints, businesses can create a more engaging environment that fosters productivity and job satisfaction. Flexibility can also lead to improved mental health and reduced burnout, which ultimately benefits the organization.

There may well be a school of thought around letting this next wave of flexibility naturally take a more organic path; however, let managers work with it and have ‘tailored’ conversations at the employee level. It is absolutely right that these conversations happen between employees and managers, but you need to beware the pitfalls of letting this pan out without a systematic approach. Plan, Tools, and Guidance are essential.

• Give your managers the tools and guidance to help them plan and manage the varying work schedules and locations. This might include scheduling software, communication platforms, and training on managing remote teams effectively.
• Help them to put in place processes and communication protocols and management tools to enable collaboration across locations. Consider implementing regular check-ins, virtual team-building activities, and monitoring tools that focus on outcomes rather than just hours worked.
• Help them change the currency of work from time and attendance to outcomes and objectives. This shift can empower employees to take ownership of their schedules and focus on results rather than clocking hours.

Flexible Job Design

• Set up a mechanism to help your managers assess the flexible job design dimensions for their roles. This could involve developing a checklist or framework that outlines the essential components of flexible job roles.
• Embed a systematic approach to assessing job and team flexibility that takes into account all the variables that have an operational impact on varying ways to work flexibly in the role. Engaging employees in this process can provide valuable insights and foster a sense of ownership over their roles.
• Help identify a systematic and consistent view of the viable working patterns that not only work for the employee but also work for the business and the team. This might involve piloting new working arrangements and gathering feedback to iteratively improve the process.

Seize the Opportunity As we come out of lockdown, there will be a significant change in how the workplace looks and operates in the future. For example, some companies will trial moves to a smaller set of core hours so they can manage meetings and interactions while still offering flexibility for employees. Others will use technology to enhance the working-from-home experience, ensuring all employees have access to the tools and resources needed to thrive in a remote setting.

The workplace we return to will be very different. Business leaders need to develop a vision of what their workplace should look like and design systemic, sustainable flexibility into their workforce. This vision should include a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that all employees feel valued and supported in their work environments.

The opportunity is now. But the question is, how will you challenge the traditional thinking that still exists in your organizations? How will you challenge this systematically at scale? Engaging employees in these conversations, gathering their feedback, and implementing changes based on their insights will be crucial to the success of any new flexible work strategy. Ultimately, adapting to this new way of working is not just a trend; it is a necessary evolution for businesses aiming to thrive in an unpredictable future.

Moreover, consider the role of leadership in this transition. Leaders must model the flexibility they expect from their teams, demonstrating that work-life integration is a priority. Providing ongoing training and support for managers will be essential in navigating this shift. The benefits of a flexible work model not only enhance employee satisfaction but can also lead to increased retention rates and a more robust organizational culture.

As organizations embrace systemic flexibility, it’s vital to regularly revisit and assess these policies. Are they meeting the needs of employees? Are they contributing to business objectives? By maintaining an open dialogue with employees and being willing to make adjustments, organizations can ensure that they are adapting effectively to a rapidly changing work environment.

In conclusion, designing systemic flexibility into roles is not merely a response to the pandemic; it’s an opportunity to innovate and redefine how work is perceived and conducted. By prioritizing employee well-being, fostering open communication, and embracing technology, businesses can create a resilient workforce ready to face future challenges.