What’s a surefire way to improve retention and engagement within the ranks of your organization? By adding some flexibility to the workday. According to a recent Gallup poll, business owners who offer their employees increased flexibility in their workday see more productivity and engagement across the board. Flexible employers have also seen higher retention rates and higher employee morale, as their workers benefit from a greater work-life balance, something that’s incredibly important to how American workers evaluate the companies they work for.
According to Gallup:
- Remote workers log 4 more hours per week than full-time, on-site employees
- Remote workers are slightly more engaged than on-site workers
- Employees who spend 20 percent of their time or less working remotely were reported the most engaged
According to the Family and Work Institute:
- 60 percent of employees feel they don’t have enough time for themselves
Granted, there are always some challenges to navigate when it comes to allowing employees to work remotely (they may miss out on office culture and collaboration, they are working unsupervised, etc.) but these issues pale in comparison to the benefits gleaned when employees feel that the organization they commit so much to is trusting them with some increased freedom in how and when they perform their duties.
Every employer can find a way to offer flexible work schedules, even if you have to start with baby steps. For example, if the work done at your organization requires everyone to be at the office every day, then offer flexible hours. If it’s possible to allow some employees to work remotely one day per week, even better. Employers can get creative, start small and simply keep the lines of communication open with the staff as polices are created, altered, or scrapped.
No one gets it perfect right away, but with a little research and trust, chances are, your employees will be grateful to have some freedom in how they execute their work, and your company will see higher employee engagement and retention overall.
