What Is Workplace Flexibility?

Workplace flexibility sounds like a breakroom session of lunch hour yoga. And it can be! But it can also mean picking up kids from school and finishing work at home, the ability to work the hours that work best for your brain, or even the option to work from a coffee shop during the afternoon slump.

With the COVID-induced rise in remote work and hybrid schedules, building and maintaining flexibility means happier, more productive workers. And that’s a win/win!

Let's Define Workplace Flexibility

Workplace flexibility is a mindset that makes employees feel heard and respected by allowing for freedom in their workday methods, routine, and location. Not every job can be fully remote but with a little creativity and willingness to change, most can increase flexibility while not losing but GAINING productivity.

The Society for Human Resource Management encourages bosses to rethink the concept as a whole. “The first thing that we assume as employers is that flexibility means working from the couch in a pair of pajamas. We want to think that flexibility is only about remote or in-person or hybrid because that’s what we keep hearing. But it’s not. It’s about someone’s control and autonomy.”

Which means what, exactly? It’s simple, says SHRM. “Give them more control over how their work gets done. Don’t lower the bar on what you expect, but do lower your expectations that you can tell them exactly how to do it. While some work follows a very specific, required process, many times it does not…offer them a choice of flexibility in how their work gets done to the degree it’s possible within the confines of the business operations.”

Ways To Encourage Workplace Flexibility

If you are a leader or manager, consider modifying time off or scheduling programs in new ways. Try letting folks swap shifts or work an extra hour in the evening to cover a mid-morning doctor’s appointment. The job gets done either way AND people aren’t coming to work sick, skipping wellness care, or showing up mentally distracted by a feverish kiddo at home.

Making changes does more than increase output. Calm shows that it improves work performance by building employee confidence and satisfaction. Flexibility equals work/life balance and a sense of control. “Having more control over your work means you can take proactive action to limit stress and add moments of calm into your routine. That’s a big reason why a flexible work arrangement is one of the top mitigators of employee stress, burnout, and depression.”

“When you have freedom to adjust your hours, work tasks, or working location,” says Calm, “you may have an easier time focusing and engaging on the job. Higher engagement and productivity can in turn improve your work performance and build your confidence.”

Opening a discussion about workplace flexibility benefits both employers and employees. Each side is heard, and new, creative solutions take root. If there’s anything we’ve learned since the pandemic, it’s to expect the unexpected. We’ve become flexible (whether we wanted to or not!) about where we can and can’t go, what to make for supper when shelves are bare, and what we truly need from our work and workplace.

I say it's time we start thinking about how these skills can translate to the workplace. What do you think? Let me know in the comments

---

Want to be notified when a new blog is published? Sign up here!

Follow Our Podcast to get weekly actionable career advice!