In the ever-changing world of work, it’s essential to keep up with the Joneses. That means working remotely, telecommuting, or taking on flexible work hours. But despite technological advances and flexibility, there’s still a stigma attached to flexible work. According to a recent study by Opinium Research, one-third of British workers feel that flexible working is an obstacle to their career progression. The reality is that we all have to adapt to changing times if we want to survive. And to be successful in today’s economy, it’s essential to switch gears and flexibly shift between tasks and roles. But this doesn’t mean you must go against your gut feeling or sacrifice your career goals. Learn more about how to navigate the flexible work stigma and achieve your career goals today in this blog post.
The rise of flexible working
The rise of flexible working positively impacts people’s lives, according to a new study. The research by the University of Warwick found that people who can flex their working hours report better mental health and more satisfaction with their jobs. The study also revealed that flexible working is good for employees and helps employers retain qualified staff and boost productivity.
According to the study, which involved interviews with over 1,000 people across Europe, flexible working has become an important way of life for many people. For example, 75% of respondents said they had worked flexibly at some point in their careers, and 43% reported being very flexible in their current job. In addition, the study found that flexible working is associated with better mental health and greater job satisfaction.
The benefits of flexible working are clear, but a stigma is still attached to it. The study found that many employees feel reluctant to ask for more flexibility due to fear of being seen as unprofessional or disloyal. To overcome this obstacle, employers must encourage a culture of flexibility Illegally). In addition, it is essential to provide support structures such as educational resources and mentorship programs which help employees understand the advantages of flexible working and how to exploit it.
Overall, the rise of flexible working is having a positive impact on people’s lives. Employers should embrace this trend and provide support structures so that staff can benefit from its advantages.
The benefits of flexible working
The benefits of flexible working are becoming more and more apparent, with organizations seeing the advantages of being able to adapt to the needs of their employees. In addition, flexible working has increased employees’ productivity and satisfaction while reducing stress levels.
There are many justifications for why flexible work is so advantageous. First off, it permits representatives to deal with their balance between fun and serious activities better. They can pick when and how they work, giving them a more fantastic feeling of command over their lives. It additionally permits them to invest more energy with loved ones, which can be massively intellectually and valuable.
In addition, flexible working can help businesses save money on staff costs. For example, rather than having to hire new employees every time an employee wishes to change their working hours or location, businesses can allow these changes without having to pay for new staff. This saves money on not only recruitment costs but also ongoing wages.
While some stigma may still be attached to flexible working, this is slowly beginning to change as more and more people realize its benefits. Assuming that you’re searching for ways of working on your efficiency and smoothing out your work life, then flexible working could be the solution you’re looking for
The challenges of flexible working
The UK is one of the most adaptable nations regarding working hours, with more than a third of employees able to work from home, stay in touch while on holiday or take time off for illness.
However, despite this flexibility, many employees feel reluctant to ask for flexible working arrangements fearing that they will be labeled unproductive and lazy. Unfortunately, this stigma still exists in the UK and is responsible for many employees feeling unnecessarily uncomfortable requesting flexible working.
To help overcome this hurdle, employers should create a positive environment where employees are encouraged to ask for whatever flexibility they need to function at their best. This can be done by creating a clear policy around flexible working, communicating it openly to staff, and providing support specifically designed to make requests easier.
Employers also need to recognize that not all requests for flexible working are legitimate and should only approve them if they are genuinely necessary. If an employee cannot take time off because of a genuine medical condition, for example, they should not be allowed to work from home. Instead, they should be required to use alternative means of communication, such as Skype or video calls, so their work is not disrupted.
How to overcome the flexible work stigma?
One obstacle to embracing flexible work is the flexible work stigma, which holds that flexible work is only for people who can’t handle a traditional job. However, in a study of British workers, 88% of representatives said they would be bound to take on an adaptable work plan on the off chance that it was not viewed as an indication of shortcomings, and 73% said they would feel less worried working assuming their manager offered greater adaptability.
To overcome the flexible work stigma, employers need to show that flexibility is not just an option for the weak but a necessary part of an effective team. In addition, showing employees that you trust them to deal with their well-being and prosperity will go far in assisting them with feeling all right with taking on new plans.
Another way to overcome the flexible work stigma is to encourage employees to talk about their experiences with flexibility. The more people open about how flexible work has helped them manage their stress levels and achieve their goals, the easier it will be for others to see the benefits.
Conclusion
Despite progress made in recent years to address flexible work stigma, many people still feel distanced from flexible working due to misconceptions and a lack of understanding. This is particularly true for those in higher-paying jobs, where the perception is that flexible work equals lower performance or less commitment. However, there are several ways that organizations can help overcome this obstacle by promoting the benefits of flexibility more widely and providing better support systems for employees who want to take on some changes at work.
