In recent times, the concept of flexible working has gained popularity within companies. Adopting a flexible working model or organizational culture is a step that companies must take if they want to stay relevant and up to date; especially when the retention and hiring of human capital increasingly revolves around this characteristic.
Several studies have found that, at a global level and taking an average, almost 40% of candidates consider flexibility to be decisive. In addition, 54% of Mexican workers prefer to have flexible hours in their employment, according to a Deloitte report. Hence, a company that offers work flexibility is more likely to attract and keep the best talent.
For its part, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) conducted a study called “Labor Flexibility”, which highlights that seven out of 10 companies in Latin America report using at least one type of flexible agreement.
What does work flexibility consist of?
Talking about work flexibility has to do with where you work from, allowing employees to work from different spaces - be it the house, a coworking, a cafe, the office - or even traveling to other cities.
In addition to physical space, flexibility also relates to the schedule and to the freedom to decide what periods of time or days to work in. In other words, it could be a model of 8 hours of work per day, in which the employee chooses the start and end of their day; or a model where they work 40 hours a week, choosing which days and hours to dedicate to it in a personalized way.
What are the benefits? Employees in flexible schemes are generally more productive, have less stress and are more satisfied and committed to the company. For its part, the organization has better levels of emotional pay and talent retention.
In this type of flexible models and structures, the key is to work with clear and defined objectives, to implement methods for measuring assertive results and to have effective communication processes.
Work flexibility models
Perhaps your company intends to implement some work flexibility scheme. There are a few models you can rely on.
Part-time work
It offers part-time work options, allowing employees to work fewer hours or days a week. This is beneficial for those looking to balance work with other commitments or interests.
Shared work
It allows two employees to share a job, dividing responsibilities and working hours. This allows them to better balance their personal and professional lives. For the company, the benefit is that it can take advantage of the experience and skills of two people.
Flexible licenses
It provides options for extended, sabbatical, or unpaid parental leave. This allows work teams to have free time to attend to personal matters or pursue other interests, without losing their connection with the company and with control.
Project work programs
It adopts a project-based approach, where collaborators are assigned to specific projects and have some flexibility to manage their time and work. This encourages autonomy and responsibility. It also allows employees to focus on specific tasks without being tied to a traditional work structure.
Bank of hours
The flexible schedule allows employees to select their check-in and check-out times. But the time bank allows workers to accumulate hours over a given period. So one day can be 10 hours long and the next only 6 hours to cover your work week.
Compressed week
In this modality, the weekly hours designated by the company are worked, on fewer days a week. Instead of working 8 hours a day for 5 days, this regime allows you to work 4 10-hour days and rest for 3 days. This system is called “4×3” and is the best known.
You can build on these models and implement them as a test, or you can create a model that fits the needs of your work teams.
When it comes to flexible working spaces, PASSWORK is your best ally, as it provides all your employees with access to more than 4000 coworkings in Mexico, the United States and LATAM. Whether you need to work a few days in a coworking close to home, reserve meeting rooms for your creative meetings or presentations with clients, or have a comfortable space where you can work wherever you are, with PASSWORK you will find the right solution for you.
