It’s clear that flexible working is here to stay across the world of work. Across the globe, millions of employees are enjoying autonomy and freedom, having more of a say in where and when they work. And businesses are benefiting, too, from a happier, more motivated, more loyal and more productive workforce.
However, the sudden advent of more flexible ways of working hasn’t been without its challenges for some employers. Poorly implemented flexible work strategies can hinder the smooth-running of day-to-day operations, the ease of collaboration between employees, and the quality of the service delivered to customers and clients.
It can be a tricky balance to strike, but many larger companies with multiple office sites and huge global workforces have turned to technology to make flexible working work for all parties. For blue-chip companies — long regarded as industry leaders with stable performance and established reputations — embracing flexible work isn’t just about staying current; it’s about future-proofing their success.
Why flexible work schedules are important
Flexible work schedules have become a cornerstone of modern workplace strategies, offering employees the autonomy to design their own work patterns. A LinkedIn poll by People Management revealed that 87% of employees value flexibility over a pay rise when deciding where and how they work, with 55% stating they would consider leaving their job if flexibility wasn’t offered. For blue-chip companies competing for top-tier talent, offering flexible work arrangements has become a key differentiator.
While some organizations opt for rigid hybrid models, requiring employees to adhere to pre-defined office and remote workdays, these arrangements often fail to address individual needs. True flexibility allows employees to tailor their schedules to their unique work styles and personal lives, boosting job satisfaction and productivity.
However, managing a workforce with varied schedules can lead to logistical challenges. Teams may struggle to coordinate meetings or find suitable spaces for collaboration. This is where a robust scheduling platform becomes essential. By integrating employee calendars with workspace booking systems, such platforms provide much-needed visibility and coordination. Employees can easily check colleagues’ availability, track their locations, and reserve the ideal meeting space — all from one centralized system.
Such solutions not only simplify workflows but also foster a culture of collaboration and trust, proving that flexibility and organization can coexist seamlessly in today’s workplace.
How to implement hot desking systems
A move towards flexible work likely means a move away from the traditional office layout, where every employee has a desk allocated to them permanently. Sticking with it would not only be a highly inefficient use of space when employees are only in the office some of the time but also negates the benefit of easy collaboration that a more flexible office environment can deliver.
Desk spaces and meeting spaces can be freed up for bookings through a workspace management platform. But employees need to have confidence that the spaces they book will be there for them when they need them and won’t be ‘stolen’ by other employees. This can be solved by desk and meeting room screens, integrated with the booking solution, which can display reservation information and even enable check-in through RFID scanning.
Why use a workplace management system?
A key part of making flexibility work is for employees to have always-on access to the data, applications, and solutions they need, whenever and wherever they’re working. When it comes to making a reservation for a workspace in the office, especially at short notice, they need to be able to do so quickly and independently. Having to call an admin person, wait for them to reply to an email, or even wait until they can get to a computer to make a booking, just doesn’t cut it.
That’s why the most forward-thinking organizations use workspace management solutions with smartphone app integration. That way, employees always have the ability to check workspace availability and make bookings in the palm of their hand. It can prove especially useful when plans suddenly change and employees need to adapt fast.
Adapting to change: Using workplace data and analytics to refine flexible work strategies
Unless they’ve been incredibly lucky, no organization gets their flexible work strategy absolutely right the first time: it takes honing, adapting, and responding to feedback over time to reach the ideal solution. Furthermore, what the best strategy looks like can be a moving target, as business needs and employee expectations change over time.
It’s therefore critical for organizations to stay on the pulse of what works and what doesn’t, and understand where to make changes to office layouts, flexible work arrangements, and other factors. This is where embedded analytics within workspace management is useful, helping organizations understand employee working patterns and workspace usage rates over time. It means they can make the right decisions, driven by data, and respond to any emerging issues before they start to have too much of an effect on employee morale or productivity.
