Flexible work has not only already proved to be productive, but to deliver significant benefits in terms of better work\/life balance. It accepts the reality that there is no one-size-fits-all approach that suits all the individuals, teams, and functions that drive corporate success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The need for work\/life balance became\u00a0far more evident during the pandemic<\/a>. There was resistance. Employees complained that not only did they feel that the work they were doing wasn\u2019t being recognized, but employers thought they could call them any time, day or night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Employees also reported a much better work\/life balance (once they\u2019d sorted management out), enabling them to avoid expensive commutes, spend quality time with family, and enjoy better focus. Not surprisingly, they want to keep working that way<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But for all the focus on flexible working practices, these are just part of a much larger focus on employee wellbeing and corporate social responsibility. The new world of work will almost certainly be characterized by an excess of digital processes to support new working models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What matters? Some important insights are available in the\u00a0Future Workplace 2021 HR sentiment survey<\/a>, which identified that 68% of senior HR leaders understand the importance of supporting employee wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenge to delivering such support to remote teams is driving some companies to invest in digital solutions to support their people. Some have invested in corporate access to\u00a0meditation apps<\/a>\u00a0such as Calm; others subscribe to activity and exercise promoting services. Another interesting illustration of the trend comes from UK firm\u00a0Oddbox<\/a>, which has partnered with\u00a0Mintago<\/a>\u00a0to provide staff with financial and pension management and advice services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, purpose is critical. Think about the early onset of BYOD, when initial employer resistance was simply overcome by the growing desire for employee choice. Today, such choice\u00a0has become an HR imperative<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n