Many people prioritize more in life above work, including taking care of oneself, dealing with personal responsibilities, and spending time with loved ones. That’s why a flexible working environment becomes important to maintain motivation and productivity while pursuing personal endeavors. Today, more workers seek flexible work arrangements for its many benefits. Achieving better work-life balance enhances productivity and adds value to expertise.
For business owners, operations like call centers in the Philippines can smoothly continue amid major challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic with minor adjustments to adapt to current norms. Adjusting to flexible work setups may require time. This guide helps successfully implement these arrangements into regular practice. Explore which flexible work arrangement suits you best and how to implement it effectively.
Quick Stats on Flexible Work Arrangements
12.7% of full-time employees work from home, while 28.2% work a hybrid model (Forbes)
Trends in the modern working world are constantly changing, which means companies need to quickly adjust to the new norm. This is especially true for small companies that need to stay relevant in their respective industries. Failure to do so can make it harder to grow your brand and maintain your edge over your competitors in the field.
Flexible work arrangements are a bigger priority for 55% of modern workers. (Bankrate)
Because of the major effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, most workers got used to the flexibility of hybrid and remote work setups. However, now that the world is slowly returning to a pre-pandemic state, employees have asked their employers to make it a permanent solution.
Around 81% of employees remain loyal to a company when it offers flexible work options. (FlexJobs)
Thanks to its numerous benefits, flexible work arrangements motivate employees to stay with a company. This not only provides better opportunities to balance their life and work schedules, but it can also make them more productive and efficient.
57% of workers would look for a new job if their current company didn’t allow remote work (Forbes)
A significant 57% of workers would actively seek new job opportunities if their current company did not offer remote work options. This shows the growing importance of flexible work arrangements in today's workforce preferences.
By 2028, around 73% of all departments are expected to have remote workers on their teams. (Upwork)
The younger generation of employees is more likely to seek flexible and remote work positions that can optimize how traditional operations are handled. This may be due to issues with conventional hiring processes that no longer affect the new workforce. As such, managers will have to consider how to reshape this process to attract better talent in the future.
Remote workers on average earn $19,000 more than in-office workers (Forbes)
Remote workers earn, on average, $19,000 more annually compared to their in-office counterparts, with remote workers making $74,000 versus $55,000 for in-office workers. Those embracing a hybrid work model report the highest average salary at $80,000, likely due to its flexibility, allowing for increased productivity and responsibility.
10 Different Types of Flexible Work Arrangements
The beauty of flexible work arrangements is that you can get things done anywhere you find convenient. However, depending on the company, some may have different definitions of how workable your limitations can be. To understand what this means, take a look at the different types of flexible work arrangements and learn which one you fit into the best.
Flexibility in Work Schedule
1. Flexitime
Flexitime gives you a wider range of working hours to finish and submit your tasks throughout the day or week. This means you can alter your schedule however you want so you can better balance your personal and professional responsibilities. Employers can also benefit from this by having a team continuously provide results even beyond the normal 9-to-5 scope of work hours.
2. Compressed Workweek
Compressing your workweek means offsetting your work hours to free up more time for yourself during the week. In this arrangement, you can start your workday earlier or end it later than you normally would. The employee can initiate this, but an employer can ask the staff to maximize and stretch their production throughout the week.
3. Shift Schedule
Some employees prefer shifting schedules to make time for other priorities during the week. Typically, businesses assign schedules to workers one or two weeks ahead. Some may also shift as often as monthly or quarterly.
4. Part-Time Work
Some flexible work arrangements can mean working part-time instead of the full 40 hours per week. Some employers typically allow this temporarily or permanently, depending on the circumstances. However, some employee benefits and qualifications may change or become unavailable under this work arrangement.
5. Job Sharing
Job sharing happens when two or more employees share the same role and responsibilities. If you find yourself in this arrangement, you will more likely work with another employee to complete your tasks correctly and efficiently. Some companies do this when limited part-time positions are available and a load of deliverables needs to be accomplished on time.
6. Gradual Retirement
This flexible work arrangement allows you to gradually reduce your workload or working hours over some time to prepare you for retirement. Instead of suddenly leaving a company, this gives you ample time to train new replacements and help them adjust to the company’s work environment.
7. Flexible Leaves and Sabbaticals
A sabbatical is an authorized amount of time you can leave work to dedicate to family, health, education, or other personal matters. These leaves are usually paid in full or partly while still giving you full rights to keep getting employee benefits. In other cases, an employer might also agree to this absence if it is self-funded by the employee.
Flexibility in Workplace
8. Remote Working
Working remotely allows you to work from different places at your comfort and convenience. Some remote workers can be located in other cities, states, or countries. Depending on the company’s policies, this can also be arranged as a permanent work solution.
9. Telecommuting
Telecommuting and remote working are closely related but are different. Both allow you to work from anywhere, but telecommuting often requires occasional office attendance for meetings. Communication and collaboration with teammates are typically conducted online, with clear agreements on working hours and responsibilities in place.
10. Hybrid Arrangement
The hybrid model mixes the in-person and work-from-home arrangements based on a company’s requirements. Employees can choose which days to come to the office and when to work from home. This can be a good way to avoid total isolation while still benefiting from working in the comforts of one’s home office.
Adapt in the Most Unlikely of Circumstances
Flexible work arrangements benefit both employers and employees by helping them manage themselves better in and out of the workplace. Now that the world has embraced this new norm, it will likely be here to stay across all industries. This is especially the case as the new generations of the workforce want to modernize how regular functions are done.
If you want to find more ways to improve your daily operations through flexible work arrangements, reach out to Select VoiceCom today! Upgrade your remote work solutions with an experienced BPO company in the Philippines like SVC.
Submit a comment