Flexibility and Increased Performance Go Hand in Hand. March 1, 2022 by Belinda EganDoes your organization offer flexibility? To succeed in a post-pandemic world, organizations and, most importantly, leaders must recognize the power of flexibility. Flexibility and increased performance go hand in hand. With each new phase of the pandemic, your employees are continuously responding to changing circumstances and expectations – whether that’s at home, at work, or both. The most critical piece to understand is that each employee is unique and handles the transition differently. You must get to know each person that you lead – their strengths, weaknesses, and in their life outside of work. This will help you choose the best type of flexibility for both you and the employee. According to Gallup, 63% of millennials and slightly more than half of all employees would change jobs for flextime. AND employees would even trade some of their salary for flextime. They would take a job that offered flextime for 2% less of a rise in income compared with those who are offered a raise without flextime. You might be thinking, can this really work? How do I know my employees are getting their work done? And, what if some people must be at work to do their job? You can offer your employees different types of flexibility beyond just when and where they work. Here are five ways you can offer your employees flexibility. Flextime. This could include the freedom to structure their own schedule, a compressed workweek, job sharing, and remote/hybrid work. When taking this approach, you must be focusing on achieving goals, productivity, and performance rather than the number of hours worked. New Opportunities. Encourage employees to get involved in selecting projects, teams, and committees they want to be a part of within the realm of their position and responsibilities. Collaboration. Consider shifting to a highly collaborative work environment with a reduced hierarchy, allowing employees to make decisions and understand how they play a vital role in achieving the organizations’ goals. Culture Shift. Allow for casual dress days, encourage employees to take their breaks, consider lengthening the breaks to allow time for running errands and taking care of personal needs, and encourage your employees to pursue their hobbies and passions. All these create a culture that values work-life balance and flexibility. Roles. For front-line employees that require someone to be present at specific times, encourage them to swap shifts. Consider offering incentives and rewards to those who pick up shifts for others, making it easier for them to trade. If your employees are happy and engaged, you will experience reduced turnover and increased productivity – ultimately saving you time and money! There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to offering flexibility in the workplace. The ultimate outcome of a flexible work environment comes down to the leader. Choose the approach that works best for your team, really get to know your employees, and practice high accountability standards. I hope this helps you find a solution that brings your organization less turnover and happier employees! – Belinda PS. If you’re looking for some accountability and weekly thought leadership training, join my membership program, where you will get ALL of this and more! Join!