This blog is the third post in a four part series looking at technology and the changing American workplace.
Sir Richard Branson has a policy that allows all Virgin employees to “take off whenever they want for as long as they want.” Several high profile companies and CEOs have championed flexible working conditions—that is to say, a program whereby employees have the opportunity to spend some portion of their time working from home.
The degree of flexibility can vary a great deal. Branson maintains that mobile technology has made it impossible to track how much time employees spend on the job anyway, and that the focus should be on what the employee achieves, not how long they spend working. Virgin’s program was inspired by Netflix, which instituted a similar policy in 2010 with great results.
Today, companies have the option to provide flexible workplace programs that allow employees to work from home with limited disruption to normal office operation. In many cases, periodic work from home can help drive employee productivity and morale. Nearly nine out of ten HR leaders believe these programs improve employee satisfaction, and while many companies have some sort of flexible work program, employers still fear they will be taken advantage of when employees are allowed to work from home.
The reality is that work and personal time are becoming blended, and it’s not a process that can be reversed. As employers demand responsiveness from employees at all times of day (in the office or out), they should also consider ways to empower their workers with more flexible work conditions.
