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As new technology enables anyone to work from anywhere, at any time, the demand for flexible working conditions have increased dramatically. It’s commonly perceived that providing flexible working is the right thing to do for your employees’ wellbeing and that it’s crucial if you want to stay ahead in today’s competitive market. However, if you employ lots of business support professionals, flexible working can be a headache.

Most business support professionals need to be in the office. Why? Because Receptionists need to be there to greet visitors, Customer Service Representatives need to be there to answer the next customer’s call, and Personal Assistants need to be there to provide crucial support to their direct report. With that in mind, here’s our guide on how comprehend whether flexible working would actually work for your organisation.

Will it Work for Your Employees?

The theory behind flexible working sounds great: give your employees the freedom to juggle their work and life responsibilities more effectively, and in return they’ll be happier in their role and work hard. However, it isn’t always that black and white.

Firstly, whilst the idea of having control over how and where they work can be appealing for many, the opposite can be true for others. A lot of people like a clearly defined routine so they can plan other things around their work hours and have a line drawn between their work and personal lives. Conversely, having the option to leave early or work from home for a few days when their children are feeling unwell, is a fantastic benefit that flexible working arrangements can offer people.

Secondly, the feeling of isolation can also be a big problem when it comes to embracing flexibility. If an employee spends a lot of time working away from their department, it can be hard for them to develop relationships with their team and form connections elsewhere in the business. This can lead to the employee being unintentionally excluded from social events, such as being invited to coffee or lunch when they are in the office. Whilst new technology is enabling employees to stay connected and work remotely, it’s no substitute for the relationships that can be built in person. What’s more, being isolated from the office can also lead to an employee’s hard work going unnoticed. If left unchecked, this could lead to that person being skipped over for a promotion or the chance to take on more exciting opportunities.

Will it Work for Your Organisation?

Whilst many leading Australian employers offer flexible working arrangements hoping to attract the best and brightest of the workforce, it’s crucial to take a step back and decide whether jumping on the flexibility bandwagon is the right choice for your business.

When you’re reviewing a request to work flexibly, it’s crucial to remember that most business support roles will not be suited for certain types of flexible working, such as working remotely. Take a Personal Assistant as an example. Whilst there are many tasks a PA could do whilst on the go, they spend a considerable amount of time in meetings. So, whilst a PA might be able to work flexible hours, it’s unlikely they could do so from home. Other examples would be administrative and customer-facing roles, such as Receptionists and Customer Service Representatives. Most, if not all of these roles, would need to be onsite to effectively perform their duties, which means working remotely becomes a logistical impossibility.

Management is another area where implementing flexible working can be difficult. This is because communication is a crucial component of strong leadership and without it, Managers who work remotely might find their effectiveness to lead projects and other people diminishing. That said, communication and project management tools, such as Slack and Trello, are attempting to bridge the gap between Managers and teams but technology has not yet managed to replace that one-on-one relationship.

Summary

No matter the reason behind someone’s request for a flexible working arrangement, it’s crucial to approach each case on an individual basis. To do that, take the time to identify what impact accepting a request will have on every aspect of your organisation. This includes what effect flexible working will have on the employee’s ability to perform their role and your existing culture, as well as the precedent this sets for others.