And it may be the key to managing a happy and healthy workforce
Flexible work options are becoming an important strategy for keeping employees happy and healthy: one in three workers in a survey said they have quit a job over the lack of such benefit.
In a study by online job board FlexJobs, more than half of respondents believe flexible work would have a positive impact on their life (53%), influencing them to be healthier (78%) and helping them keep stress at bay (86%).
The ability to work offsite, especially from home, may also help employers retain talent better. Out of the 7,000-plus workers surveyed, the majority (80%) said they would be more loyal if their employer offered flexible work.
READ MORE: 6 steps to a flexible workplace
In fact, more than half of workers (52%) claimed they have asked management specifically for this perk. Employees (65%) believe they would be more productive working outside the traditional work setting because they supposedly have:
- Fewer distractions (74%)
- Fewer interruptions from co-workers (72%)
- Less stress from commuting to work (70%)
- Limited exposure to office politics (64%)
Remote work (76%) has thus become the most requested flexible work option today, but other arrangements workers look for include:
- Flexible schedules (72%)
- Part-time work (46%)
- Freelance work (39%)
“In a tight labour market, companies cannot afford to ignore the value employees place on having flexible work options,” said FlexJobs founder and CEO Sara Sutton.
“But leaders also can’t dismiss the very real bottom-line impact offering flexibility has on their employees’ productivity and retention rates.”
