How technology is revolutionizing traditional working hours

Traditional working hours are gradually becoming a distant memory.

The demand for flexible working hours has more than doubled worldwide in the last 10 years. In Switzerland, for example, resulted a workplace study 84% of all employees surveyed want the opportunity to work flexibly, which is 20% more than the global average of 64%. In the UK, 63% of employees are already working flexible in some way. That's partly because a new generation of workers is entering the profession. But it is also due to technological progress.

We'll introduce the different types of flexible work opportunities and how technology has made this possible.

What is flexible working?

It can mean something different to everyone, but in general it is a form of work tailored to the needs of workers. Simply put, flexible work is anything that doesn't conform to traditional work hours.

Its popularity is based on the numerous advantages it offers for companies and employees.

Benefits for employees include:

• Saving on commuting costs.
• Greater productivity, concentration and creativity.
• A healthy work-life balance.
• Fewer sick days due to work-related stress, depression and anxiety.

The advantages for companies are:

• The increase in productivity works in both directions.
• Reduction in costs for work space, additional costs, etc.
• Boosts work morale.
• Reducing absenteeism and fluctuation.
• The image of your company, which values ​​a healthy work-life balance, is strengthened.

Various regulations can be viewed as flexible, e.g.:

• Compressed working hours
• shift work
• Annual working hours
• Staggered working hours
• Switching from full-time to part-time work
• Change in part-time work
• Adjusting work hours to accommodate school pickups and other dependency-related activities

Flexible working and technology

No matter what industry you're in or what your business is - from marketing agencies to HR consultants and everything in between - technology has certainly played a role in developing or transforming your business.

Technological advances have not only opened up businesses to a wider audience, but also increased speed, flexibility and adaptability.

The most important innovation for employees is the change in traditional working hours. Gone are the days of requiring your employees to be present at work for a certain number of hours. Thanks to technological advances, we can now work from anywhere in the world and the boundaries between working time and free time are blurring.

Many companies are in the process of changing their organizational structure to enable more flexible teamwork. One Studie der Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) shows that three out of four workplaces offer their employees the opportunity to vary their working hours and location.

A major deterrent for companies unwilling to allow flexible working hours is the cost of the technology. However, as the cost of the technology that enables flexible working (cloud-based services, time tracking software, attendance tracking, communication tools, etc.) continues to fall, more employers are expected to offer this option to their employees.

Tips for managing flexible workers

An understandable concern for employers considering flexible working is their ability to manage this workforce. While this doesn't have to be too complicated, it does present employers with new challenges that need to be overcome. Below we have put together five tips to help you manage your flexible workforce effectively.

Planning: Before you agree to a flexible working request, you need to do your homework. You must consider each application individually as the roles and tasks are different. Assess your company's needs and consider how flexible work hours will impact your business. You should also consider potential health and safety issues and address them accordingly.

Guidelines: Once you have a plan, you should create a flexible work policy that sets out the conditions for accepting flexible work requests. For example, include language about email response times, equipment use, time tracking, communication with on-site employees, etc.

Training: You have to train your employees for flexible work. Give them clear instructions about what is expected of them. Think training on time management, productivity, personal responsibility, etc. Remote-how, for example, offers training for managers of distributed teams. You can try it here!

Tools: Take advantage of new technologies to make your work easier and more efficient. There are tools for communication, collaboration and more. Below we have put together some common tools to get you started.

Examples of tools and equipment for working from home include:

• Communication tools: Google Hangout, Zoom, Discord, Slack , Hive, Skype, Workplace by Facebook, etc.
• Time tracking tools: Jira, Acello, TFS, Toggl , Desktime, etc.
• Employee Absence Tools: Hubstaff , BrightHR Absence Management, TimeOff Management, etc.
• Kollaborationstools: Google docs, Dropbox , Trello, Asana , etc.

Conclusion

By following the steps above, you will simplify managing your flextime workforce. Their productivity, the quality of their work and their working hours.

You should make sure that you are fair when it comes to accepting a request for flexible working. If you decline an application, you should have a good business reason for doing so. With a detailed flexible working policy, you can avoid lawsuits from your employees for discrimination or unfair treatment.