What is Flexibility in Workplace? | What do tolerance and flexibility in the multiethnic workplace require?

Every employer aspires for a more productive workforce. Would you like to discover the key driving factor for attracting and retaining talented employees? There is one simple solution to make it happen, more flexibility in your workplace.

Workplace flexibility is all about adapting to changing scenarios and requirements swiftly. Employers often place a higher value on employees who approach their work with a flexible perspective. Similarly, employees are drawn to companies that foster a flexible work environment.

This is crucial in fast-paced, dynamic businesses where the potential to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and shifting standards is a significant requirement for both the companies as well as the employees.

What is flexibility in the workplace?

Flexibility in the workplace means introducing innovative means to tackle new circumstances as they arise and allowing your employees to exercise more freedom in the way they work.

Flexibility in the workplace is frequently utilised as a strategy to keep and motivate workers. It helps companies meet their requirements by developing an enhanced and loyal workforce.

As employees search for new workplaces with greater work-life balance options, flexible employers are becoming more and more common.

Employers and employees can both benefit from increased working flexibility. Basically, employees get more control over their time, and employers gain from having more efficient, committed workers.

Benefits of workplace flexibility for your organization

Numerous studies have shown that workplace flexibility benefits both the employees and companies alike. Focusing, particularly on what your organization may achieve by embracing more workplace flexibility, here are some of the advantages:

Enhanced productivity and innovation

Employees will be able to express their creativity if given the freedom to pursue goals on their terms.

They’ll be able to better channel their creative energy if they are allowed to control their own schedules rather than being required to report to their desks by a specific time.

This makes the employees feel more at liberty and deserving of their position. As an employer, your company can gain benefits from this. 

Attracts high-quality talent

Flexibility in the workplace is a good strategy for drawing and keeping excellent talent in your company. A less regulated work schedule is becoming more and more popular, especially among younger professionals.

According to one research done by Capability Jane, millennials rate flexibility as their top priority while looking for a job at 92%.

A Loyal Community

Your employees are likely to stick with the company if they enjoy their work schedule. If your company meets the team member's needs, they will work harder, care more about the work they do, and commit for longer. 

Good workplace flexibility will also make your organisation the talk of the town. A satisfied employee may also recommend the company to their connections and tell others about it. This helps in building a strong community.

Reduced Overhead

Incorporating proper workplace flexibility will reduce your overhead cost significantly. 

Employers who allow flexible work options like flex hours and remote work options can cut costs by using less office space. Furthermore, working from home can lessen the environmental effects of long commutes as well.

Reduced Customer Experience

Happy employees are more productive and can improve client relations for your business. As a result of your company's flexible scheduling options, you may be more accessible to customers and better address their needs and queries.

Customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand when they are satisfied and believe that their demands are being met, and they also tend to recommend it to others.

What to look for in a flexible workplace

The ability to adapt to change is a trait of flexible thinking. That kind of perspective is fostered in a flexible work environment. Flexible workers may have work schedules that don't conform to standard office hours, locations, or duties. 

Simple choices like lenient start and finish times might be the most fundamental type of flexible working. A flexible workplace, however, can also include unique employment practices like job sharing, remote work, and condensed schedules.

Types of flexibility in the workplace

When giving their staff flexibility, businesses may take into account the following options:

Flex hours

The foundation of job flexibility is flexible hours. Employees are allowed to choose their own schedules as long as they continue to produce at the same rate, fulfil deadlines, and submit work that is up to par.

The ability to plan their day so that they can complete both their professional and personal responsibilities without feeling overburdened can help employees feel less stressed. 

Vodafone, a major player in the telecom industry, saw a boost in productivity and employee engagement after switching to an agile working style.

Remote work

Since the covid-19 pandemic, work from home has become commonplace in the majority of businesses.

According to Flex Jobs' 10th Annual Survey, which was held between July and August 2021, 58% of respondents said they would like to work remotely full-time after the pandemic, while 39% preferred a hybrid workplace.

That is a staggering 97% of people who want to work remotely in some capacity!

Your business can save money and reduce its overhead costs if it is no longer required to lease office space or buy supplies for the staff.

Furthermore, adopting a flexible workspace might make sense for both parties when an employee doesn't have to waste time traveling or money on business meals and professional attire.

Sap Labs, a Bangalore-based startup allows its employees to take one day a week off to spend some time from home. The organisation uses this strategy to boost employee productivity.

Freelancing 

You can use freelancing to create a flexible work environment within your organisation by offering contract gigs.

By building a flexible environment that enables them to manage several jobs and clients at once, many freelancers have developed their own personal enterprises and become experts in their fields.

Employers who need to get a job done immediately can consider hiring freelancers.

Condensed schedules

The employees get an extra day off, albeit working for longer on workdays. It might either imply three-day weekends or a day off to break up their workdays. 

One of the most important case studies in the examination of the impact of the four-day workweek is arguably Perpetual Guardian.

The New Zealand-based financial services business's experimental programme reduced stress, made workers happier, and increased productivity by 20%. It also resulted in improved staff well-being both physically and mentally. 

Employees' stress levels decreased by 7%, and the score of their work-life balance rose from 54 to 78%. While some started spending more time with their parents, others started studying, and other workers even spent the off day cleaning their homes in preparation for the weekend.

What do tolerance and flexibility in the multiethnic workplace require?

In the multi-ethnic workplace tolerance and flexibility require three crucial elements:

Diversity

Diversity training provides guidance on how to deal with various cultures, ideas, and belief systems by disseminating knowledge.

Empathy

Empathy is about putting yourself in another person’s shoes and understanding their emotions.

Endurance

The ability to endure unpleasantness and work through it is endurance.

Why office space matters in work flexibility

The fact of the matter is that your office’s design says a thousand words about your company’s principles and the workspace environment. The layout of your workplace space enforces certain beliefs into the people's minds about how your business is conducted. 

The presence of desks and the actual boundaries separating departments are just two examples of the subtle hierarchies present in conventional open-plan designs.

While the way we work is evolving continuously, the office space hasn’t kept the pace very well because our workplaces have still got dated designs and infrastructure.

Furthermore, in order to foster collective growth and development, your office space needs to evolve too along with the work.

To implement flexibility in your workplace the first and foremost step is to embrace changes in your office space and design the place according to the trending requirements.

Ultimately, Flexibility in the workspace is the perfect strategy for companies to boost their employees' productivity and satisfaction. Therefore, Flexibility is the only solution to thrive in this ever-dynamic work culture.