The “New” Employees: Work Your Way Through Flexible Employment
The rise of technology has brought about a pronounced and significant change to the methods of running a business, from the most effective hiring methods to the way we manage our assets, not to mention the complete overhaul in the marketing department. Rapid changes in the past few decades have created a minefield of miscommunication and introduced setbacks that were superfluous, or even nonexistent, in the past.
Fortunately, we’re starting to get back into the swing of things. Growing pains are giving way to improvisation and the implementation of creative, streamlined methods of project completion, allowing the current generation of businesses to grow faster and more efficiently.
The pressure to evolve with the times can leave many businesses clinging to traditional employment more tightly than ever. Significant changes to the way an office is run can be daunting. Still, there are tangible benefits to flexible employment that cannot be ignored. The following are some of the potential opportunities and benefits of offering this type of employment.
Employment Opportunities
Flexible employment opportunities provide the regularity of a set schedule, but with the wiggle room to entice employees who might otherwise be unfit for a position. Prospective candidates who have all of the required skills and experience, but who have other commitments in the mornings or afternoons, are traditionally ruled out of the pool with impunity. The “give” of flexible employment just might allow that otherwise unsuitable applicant the push they need to accept an offer of employment.
With this type of employment, the weight of the position moves from the hours worked to the work itself, as “outcomes rather than face time” as Forbes phrases it. Employees, no longer faced with the stress of an uncompromising schedule, can now work during the best hours of their day. Even going so far as to work with potential employees for part-time remote office work can broaden the pool significantly, providing you with a much wider range of skills.
Work-Life Balance
Furthermore, the potential benefits for employees can act as a huge draw for long-term employment. When an employee has the ability to control their own schedule, they’ll feel that much more empowered in their lives, a trend that has grown immensely in recent years. This has the potential to reduce stress levels, generate job satisfaction and create a deeper connection between the employee and their work-related goals. As such, employees will be much less likely to search for greener pastures.
With flexible employment, your personnel can schedule working hours for when they’re most productive, thereby banishing that morning fog or the dreaded afternoon fatigue. Employees will be able to eradicate work-time inefficiencies and maximize their most productive hours.
Skill Pools
Another potential benefit of flexible employment is the freedom to collaborate. It allows personnel of different branches, departments or even across the hall to collaborate on a project. In the same vein, skill pools have grown considerably in recent years as a new, highly efficient method of project completion.
In an article on the subject of skill pools, GoCo says that “teams form and disband as needed, collaborating with people across the organization or outside of it.” As such, there’s less emphasis on the specific functions and specializations of a single employee. Rather, the emphasis and brainpower centers on the best way to get the job done, regardless of an individual’s job description at the time of project inception.
Hiring Methods
This alternative method of project management boils down to a change in the way employees are hired. Rather than proficiency in one skill or experience with that particular job, looking for well-rounded individuals can work to your benefit. Consider this: an employee with one very specialized skill might accomplish that ticket item with mastery, but that same skill effectively pigeonholes them into a box, unable to assist in any other form or function.
Finding a potential employee who’s performed a wider range of jobs can help you in the long run; based on the skill pooling method, that employee will be able and willing to reach outside of her or her “box” to ensure that their current project or undertaking will run smoothly.
Overcoming the Stigma
While there are proven benefits of this type of flexible employment, it can be a stressful and often confusing change to make. In addition, there’s a certain stigma associated with non-traditional working hours that can have many upright businessmen concerned.
In the face of these circumstances, we must not forget the potential benefits of making the switch. Improved hiring methods, rising levels of job satisfaction among employees and more cohesive distribution of work are all aspects of flexible employment, and parts of a whole that can catalyze significant improvement in the workplace.
According to Forbes, “the key to securing these benefits is to de-stigmatize flexible working as an option.” The more businesses that take advantage of the possibilities, the more competitive the job market must become in return. Being one of the earlier businesses to take on this transformation will benefit you in both the long- and short-term. You just might make some long-term employees of your own!
