How cloud technology enables flexible working

In the organisations we’ve helped introduce greater flexible working practices, the benefits have included:

Attract highly skilled and experienced individuals

• Fill long term skills gaps
• Increase workforce diversity
• Help address gender pay gaps
• Improve employee well-being and job satisfaction

There are various types of flexible working, including: 

• Job sharing – where two people do one job and split the hours.
• Working from home – or somewhere else other than the normal place of work.
• Part time – working less than full-time hours (usually by working fewer days).
• Compressed hours – working full-time hours but over fewer days.
• Flexitime – the employee chooses when to start and end work (within agreed limits) but works certain ‘core hours’, for example 10am to 4pm every day.

The CIPD’s recent Flexible Working guide lists ten key recommendations for organisations considering implementing flexible working: 

1. Clarify the benefits of flexible working to the organisation and to individuals
2. Find the compelling hook or business imperative that will gain traction in the organisation
3. Communicate to dispel myths around what flexible working is and who it is for, share successes and build communities
4. Find creative ways to encourage a range of flexible working practices for all employees – both in terms of innovative flexible working initiatives and creative ways to build flexibility into job roles that have not traditionally been suitable for flexible working
5. Aim to hire flexibly and design the jobs to suit the flexible pattern (that is, full-time jobs are not squeezed into part-time hours)
6. Ensure ongoing access to development and career conversations for flexible workers
7. Set the organisational context and consider organisational facilitators and barriers, including creating a supportive organisational culture, underpinned by leadership and HR
8. Gain manager buy-in through communicating benefits, sharing success stories and providing support and guidance
9. Consider the facilitators and barriers at manager, team and individual levels
10. Measure and evaluate flexible working and learn from trials using quantitative and qualitative measures

XCD’s flexible timesheets and work cycles capabilities allow HR professionals to easily manage and maintain effective flexible working for their employees. To find out how it works, book your demo now.