Since Clotho spun the thread of human fate at the dawn of humanity, people have been fighting to take control of their destiny. This may sound a little grandiose in the context of flexible working, but it shows how ingrained self-determination is and how important it is for satisfaction.

The introduction of hybrid working during the pandemic was an act borne from necessity, and most organisations were on the back foot, setting up this new modality within a matter of days. Three years on and we’re seeing both the benefits of this shift as well as the continuous challenge of tech, with the legacy ‘bugs in the code’ which inhibits employee engagement still to this day. Hybrid employees report lower engagement and higher rates of job seeking than those working fully remote or always in the office. This may seem counterintuitive; since the pandemic, research has consistently shown that flexibility is a key motivator for talent. Here is the rub! Hybrid does not inherently mean flexible. People want choice.

Workers who say they are able to work in the way they prefer are more than twice as likely to be highly engaged and are 22% more likely to say they will not job hunt in 2023, compared to average.

Achievers Workforce Institute

Direct communication

For true flexibility, direct communication is crucial. Different roles have different demands of colleagues, so clarity tailored to specific roles is essential. How often do they need to be in the office? What hours are essential? Setting these boundaries clarifies the opportunity for flexibility and individual agency within them. Then, processes need to be in place so flexible workers can keep their manager and team in the loop and maximise collaboration time if needed.

Embed your culture

So now it’s clear what the organisation says flexible working is, but has it been culturally embedded? Although some organisations may detail flexible working opportunities, we have seen organisations where the tacit culture of presenteeism outweighs the well-intended systems. This is why role-modelling by leadership, especially senior leaders, is so important, it demonstrates that flexible working is accepted culturally. All leaders should also be briefed on how to mitigate the ‘mere-exposure effect’ if there are colleagues who work more traditional hours or are in the office more often.

Trust is a must

Another major cultural necessity for flexible working is trust. In a perfect world, we would all be judged based on our output. However, managers are used to seeing their team working, having more regular incidental touchpoints, so being dislocated from their team removes a tangible feeling of knowing ‘what’s going on’. If an organisation wants to promote flexible working, they must trust their colleagues to get the work done. The illusion of flexibility will be the death of engagement, and hybrid workers will return to being #opentowork.

Flexibility comes in many forms

We have spoken largely about office workers, but empowering people with agency extends to the frontline. There are always going to be must-haves, but it’s important to come together and find opportunities for self-determination within the requirements of the job. This might be facilitating shift swapping or a system to take into consideration preferences for site location. If colleagues co-create their own work experience, they will be more invested as this is a world they’re contributing to and feel valued in.

Breaking down gender stereotypes

Finally, flexibility has historically been linked as a benefit for carers. There is a push to remove the pressure of childcare from the mother to encourage women to pursue their career, however many organisations inadvertently push gender stereotypes. Anecdotally, we have found in recent client research that some men feel unable to ask for flexible hours to facilitate childcare, as they feel managers will not be as understanding as they would be if they were a mother asking. A shift away from this mentality is slowly happening but identifying it as a possible bias can help managers shift the dial even further.

 

There are confines to what we can and can’t do at work, but within those boundaries are opportunities for flexibility and individual agency that can turn a lukewarm worker into an engaged and effective colleague. The illusion of choice is more dangerous than a total lack of choice, as it engenders distrust and uncertainty. The workplace doesn’t have to be a Greek tragedy. Be clear on what’s possible, accept colleague input and trust your team to get the job done.

 

Written by Millie Watson, Content Specialist