It wasn’t long ago that the 9-5 was an unquestioned work schedule for both employers and employees. Business owners didn’t even have cause to wonder whether it was the best model, and most employees probably would’ve been disgruntled in the face of change.
Now, though, that change has happened, and 9-5 stringent working hours are becoming more of a rarity rather than the norm. Instead, business owners across the world are realizing the benefits of a more relaxed approach, and many are allowing employees to work remotely at least one day a week.
Has stopped you from doing the same? It may be that you’re worried about what this change could mean, or perhaps you’re convinced that being stringent about the 9-5 will serve you better. Either way, your rigidity in this area could be damaging your company.
The reality is that flexible working is big news for a reason. Countless companies are finding that a more lenient approach is helping both their bottom line and their workplace. For proof, consider the following reasons why time restraints could be harming your workforce.
Extended Business Hours Can Help Foster Growth
As consumers increasingly expect businesses to be available at all times, failure to offer flexible hours could ultimately harm your sales. If your entire team leaves at 5, you’re denying people the ability toreach your organization at times that are most convenient for them.By allowing for flexible hours, there’s a far higher chance of someone being available to answer client queries. You can achieve this by either opening your office later or implementing a cloud for remote capabilities with the help of the IT Services & Support offered by Fidelis Inc. However you do it, giving your team the ability work, even when you aren’t, ensures your company is offline far less often.
Diminishing Employee Satisfaction
It’s no secret that employee satisfaction is a determining factor of success. Yet, you’re sure to diminish employee satisfaction with your organization if you’re unwilling to even consider remote or flexible working. The moment you let employees choose their hours, you guarantee they’ll achieve better work-life balance.
It’s also worth noting that an astounding 99% of respondents to a Buffer survey reported a desire to work remotely at least some of the time. In other words, increased employee control over hours is a critical key to unlocking better employee satisfaction.
Productivity Is Lower
According to a two-year Stanford study, flexible working arrangements work wonders for productivity. As such, stringent working hours could literally be a key factor in lowering productivity throughout your entire organization. This is hardly surprising when you consider that everyone is productive at different times of day. While one employee might flourish during early hours, another may find their inspiration after dark. You limit the abilities of both these types of workers with strict 9-5 rules. If you want to boost production – and thus profitability – then it’s past time you ditched this focus on set shifts.
