Working tweak
Remote workers enjoy benefits of work-life balance but aren’t ready to abandon the office altogether, finds Anna Burnside
WORKING from home during the pandemic has given us a taste for flexibility. According to a survey by Flexibility Works, Scots are in no hurry to go back to the office five days a week when restrictions are finally lifted.
Instead, the study shows that Covid has shown many employees and businesses that flexible working can benefit everyone and that what started as a response to the pandemic can be sustainable and profitable.
The pandemic has meant big changes for Scottish workers.
The survey of more than 1000 employees who were not furloughed found that three in five worked from home at least some of the time and almost half were at home all the time.
Almost one in three tweaked their hours to fit in with their domestic responsibilities.
These changes have given people a taste for a less rigid routine. More than half of the respondents are thinking about asking for more flexibility when restrictions lift.
Many are not in the market for radical changes, just small adjustments to improve their work-life balance. These include working from home more regularly, which appealed to 45 per cent of respondents, and more flexitime, on the wishlist for nearly a third.
Only 13 per cent want to work part-time and five per cent want a job share.
More than half of those working from home missed the company of their colleagues – suggesting that there is a limited demand for spending every working day in the spare room or at the kitchen table.
In a separate survey, it’s clear that Scottish businesses see the benefits of giving their staff some wriggle room.
Three-quarters reckon being more flexible has helped them through
LOUISE Davison, 42, is an events and communications officer for The Open University in Scotland. She lives in Kirkliston with her husband and three-year-old son.
Louise worked from home and moved her hours around during lockdown and hopes to keep some of the changes in future.
She said: “I worked mornings and my husband worked afternoons and we took turns to look after our son.
“It worked for us. But it worked for the university, too, as it meant I could attend online meetings and deal with things when I would otherwise be off.
“Now nurseries are back, I’ve gone back to longer days three days a week but I’m still working two mornings because I’ve found it’s a good split between working and parenting. “Ideally, I’d like to work about two or three days in the office and the rest from home. I want to see colleagues face-to-face but not having to commute means I can work half-days and fit in a walk, run or cycle. It helps my performance at work and I feel better too.”
Covid – and they expect to carry on with these arrangements once lockdown is over. Three in five Scottish employers expect to offer more home working when restrictions lift while two in five expect to offer more formal flexitime. The same number are prepared to allow staff more time off for appointments and other personal or family commitments. Nikki Slowey of Flexibility Works said: “The pandemic forced many of us to work differently and it’s often been incredibly tough. Fortunately, we’ve discovered unexpected benefits too. Our research suggests there will now be greater supply and demand for flexibility on a permanent basis.
“Our old nine-to-five office week is no longer fit for purpose. So we’re asking employers to work together with employees to co-create new ways of working.”
Many Scottish businesses are already on board.
Andrew Dobbie, of Glasgow marketing agency MadeBrave, said: “The global health crisis has illuminated the many drawbacks of a rigid work environment, while reminding us of the importance of health and wellbeing above all.
“As lockdown restrictions ease and we begin to return to normal, we now have a huge opportunity to address the needs of our team; to say, ‘Hang on a minute – let’s not go back to normal. Normal wasn’t that great anyway’.”
It’s not just office drones who will benefit. Alan Burns, of construction firm City Building, said: “Working flexibly helped to keep our business going during lockdown and our people adapted very quickly. Now there is a desire to keep some flexible working arrangements, such as more blended work locations and different shift patterns on-site.”