The world of work is changing. As client demands increase and employees are expected to be ‘always on’, employers are battling to ensure their staff are running at their best and most productive. Meanwhile, employees are looking for more flexibility built into their roles, with global trends reflecting a move away from the traditional processes that have had workers present at their desks between the usual 9-5, for five days a week and beyond.

The work perk revolution:

There is a growing demand for more revolutionary perks in our jobs, from a four-day week working pattern and allowing employees to take unlimited annual leave, to dedicated breaks for taking part in volunteering and office away days to reward excellent work and boost team morale.

There are many companies that regularly top the ‘Best Workplaces’ list due to their cultivation of volunteering programmes for their employees and giving back to the community making it a trend gaining traction with office workers who are looking for a wider sense of purpose in their roles.

Recent research from IWG shows that flexible working is now a deal-breaker in the war for talent, with 83% of workers saying they would choose a job that offers flexible working over one that does not. In the study of 15,000 employers and employees in 80 countries, 54% said that having a choice of work location is more important to them than working for a prestigious company and 28% value being able to choose where they work over an increased holiday allowance.

Presenteeism is old hat:

When it comes to productivity, presenteeism is quickly showing its age – with numerous studies pointing to the importance of employees being able to cultivate a good work/life balance in order to achieve the best results for the business.

The workplace should support the professional and personal growth of the employee. Rather, due to increasing level of competition amongst the millennials to do their best, it is resulting in presenteeism. Long working hours are causing a disruption in this balance and are leading to employee demotivation.

But this is changing in many ways as the companies are now focusing on creating a caring environment for the employees that focuses on their personal and professional growth. Many are cutting the work hours and opting to provide flexibility in working to the employees.

Flexible working is the natural solution:

When looking at how productivity could be improved and working hours reduced therefore, flexible and remote working is the natural solution. Your employees should be able to live where they choose, rather than having their options limited to within commutable distances of the office and flexible workspaces are a great option to explore as an alternative. Employees in the suburbs can access all the facilities they’d require from an office, but closer to home.

Employees that feel valued and heard when they seek flexibility are far more likely to remain loyal and be productive members of staff, leading to better outcomes, higher retention of talent and success for your business.

Authored article by Harsh Lambah, Country Manager- India, IWG Plc