Blog

On the day the consultation closes on Government plans to make flexible working available to all, Opl Group, the leading office fit out and workplace consultancy business, discusses the importance of supporting the workforce and the opportunities available to companies who embrace new ways of working.

Paul Lelliott, Group Managing Director at Opl, says: "The expected drivers for wanting to introduce flexible working usually come from the finance department and a belief that by reducing the amount of space the company uses, it can lower overheads and increase profit margins. However, with this mindset, businesses often miss one of the biggest advantages to flexible working - the ability to support an employees work life balance and the increased productivity that can be achieved as a result.

"And it's not just about reducing space, it's about using the space the company has to better effect. If 10 per cent of the office space can be saved through flexible working, that area can then be used to provide new facilities such as collaborative working environments, fitness centres or a crèche. Obviously this means that the space is no longer working to drive fees for the business, but the impact it can have on staff because they can see the benefits being offered to them and the commitment the company's management has to its team is very powerful. That's the key to flexible working, it shouldn't just be about reducing overheads, it should be about the improvement of efficiencies and productivity.

"The Government's plans to make flexible working open to all could therefore have a very positive effect on British businesses if management see it as an opportunity for positive change rather than an opportunity for staff to hide at home not doing much. And we think this is likely to be the biggest barrier, finding a way of coaching management teams to believe in the benefits of a work force allowed to work flexibly. Unfortunately, too many bosses still manage by vision; this means that if they can't see their employee, then they assume that the work isn't being done. It takes trust for flexible working to be effective, but simple measures can be put in place to reassure managers. For example, positioning hot desks close to the management team so that when flexible workers are in the office, they can are more visible. It's also about showcasing best practice to illustrate the wider company benefits.

"Flexible working isn't just about working from home, it's about allowing your staff the freedom to work in their favourite environment and be their most productive. It's as simple as that. Whether that's in a quite corner of the office, a coffee shop, a hotel or at home, today's technology has made flexible working far more achievable and we can't see this workplace trend changing."