Philip Vanhoutte, EMEA Managing Director of Plantronics
Need convincing? A recent study by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR, formerly the DTI) shows that almost all British workplaces offer some form of flexible working.
Employers have rights too, but we want employers to be responsive so we need to communicate better the benefits of flexible working
But separate research from the Equal Opportunities Commission shows that Britain still lags behind the rest of Europe in providing the best possible working conditions. Meanwhile, policy-makers are poised to bring British employers into line with new regulations; potentially adding to mountains of employment-related red tape introduced in recent years.
Responding to the report, The IoD chief said: "Employers have rights too, but we want employers to be responsive so we need to communicate better the benefits of flexible working.Regulation has a poor record in both encouraging innovative practice and in producing solutions that do not have unintended consequences, discriminating against smaller businesses in particular."
Meanwhile, Confederation of British Industry director-general Richard Lambert claims that businesses must work efficiently and productively to shield themselves from the ‘Credit Crunch' that has gradually taken hold of the UK financial services sector.
Macro-economics aside, the message seems to be that employers should do all they can to maximise the productivity and efficiency of their workforce, while keeping employees happy and feeling looked after. Not an easy combination, but flexible working can help.
Bosses shouldn't feel pressured to give away perks that lower productivity. Flexible working doesn't mean letting your team turn up when they want, surf the internet all day or take long luxurious lunches. The trick is to boost morale by helping your team to work smarter, and it doesn't take drastic changes to make a big difference. Perks should be constructive and mutually beneficial. A few subtle upgrades or tweaks here and there will enhance productivity and staff drive no end.
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