Flexible working is any work that differs from the daily nine-to-five shift in an office. It gives employees the freedom to choose when and where to work, allowing them to have a better work-life balance.  

Flexible working became essential for many in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and people worked remotely. Workers quickly grew accustomed to the freedom flexible working offered them. Consequently, businesses were obliged to look at ways of making flexible working a sustainable office model.  

Are you looking at ways of helping your workforce work flexibly? Here are some top tips that will allow you to make flexible working permanent and efficient for your business: 

If you care about the well-being of your workforce, ask about their requirements, and heed  their suggestions. For instance, those who have child care needs might benefit from early finishes or ‘child-friendly working hours’ so they can collect their loved ones from school. Even more specifically, you might use this opportunity to increase equality within your staff. For example, according to the BBC, one finance company allows its employees to work from home at that time of the month, meaning they are not obliged to take time off instead.  

Perhaps you are worried that flexible working will damage collaboration amongst your team  members, but that need not be the case. You can circumvent potential issues by ensuring you  have the right collaboration tools. That way, you can easily share files and have meetings via  video call.  Using collaboration tools such as video conferencing means you will not need office space for  meetings. You can, therefore, look for smaller office spaces with lower rents. Thus, it is well  worth investing in the best collaboration tools because they will eventually pay for themselves. 

You need office space that is flexible and suited to your business requirements. There are businesses that can help you with that, if necessary. For instance, a serviced office in Central London can be a fantastic option for UK businesses looking for a flexible office solution, which makes it easy to obtain the kind of office space that suits your requirements, and reduce overhead costs.  

Data security is massively significant when you offer flexible working options to your workforce.  All team members must have secure laptops to work from at home. Additionally, all the business applications you rely on should be trustworthy. Try to recognise where your company is potentially at risk of a data breach and find viable solutions.  

Times are changing rapidly, so now flexible work office models should be sustainable. You can achieve this by using smart facility technology to make your office space automated and efficient so that it does not create a large carbon footprint. Utilising smart facility technology will save you money and encourage your team to come into the office. 

Flexible Working for a Brighter Future

The concept of flexible working is not going anywhere - it is something many employees are now insisting on. By implementing the suggestions, you have read here today, you can put your best foot forward in making flexible working as sustainable as possible for everyone in your workforce.