Now more than ever professionals are keen to move away from traditional working hours in favour of a better work-life balance, and as more of life moves online, the idea of working from home seems to make sense. Many organisations are now offering, or at least trialling flexible working hours, but some are still behind the times.
Taking a step away from the emails and long meetings can help to ease workplace stress and boost wellbeing, but not every workplace believes in the benefits of flexible working. The ability to switch off and relax doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but it seems that most UK employees are keen to step away from the normal nine-to-five routine.
HR specialists AdviserPlus have conducted some research into the importance of flexible working for UK employees. The report reveals just one in three are happy with their current work-life balance and a huge 63% see this as of more importance than pay!
Time is everything
According to the data, those for flexible working prioritise time over any other workplace worries. 45% of Brits said a short commute is their top priority when moving jobs, and 47% said they wouldn’t work anywhere that was too far away from home. The thought of working from home and eliminating the daily commute is an important concept for many employees due to its time-saving benefits and the idea of avoiding unwanted stress due to traffic. Having more time to ourselves is clearly an important factor for us home birds, but are we getting enough of it?
Childcare takes priority
Findings from the research also found that childcare takes priority over long working hours and inflexible schedules, leaving many employees feeling the negative effects of workplaces that haven’t yet adopted flexible working hours. In fact, 77% of women reported a negative or discriminatory experience when pregnant, on maternity leave, or when they have returned to work. The cost of childcare is a key concern for many parents and some companies have even started to provide childcare services within the workplace, but this is still a rarity and isn’t feasible for certain industries.
The report reveals that there is a huge appetite for flexible working. In fact, around three-quarters of the UK like the idea of flexible working but believe there are very few roles that allow for it. When used correctly flexible working can have a positive impact on a working environment. A shift towards this type of company culture gives employees the power to figure out their own life schedule and ease the pressures of everyday life.
The results have been collated into an infographic which you can view here:
More on remote working and employee wellbeing.
Follow Company Bug