*Collaborative Post
The coronavirus pandemic has generally led to more flexible working conditions and schedules as people have spent more time working remotely. While this is a situation brought on largely by circumstance, many people claim that having more flexibility around work benefits both their work/life balance and productivity.
The Pandemic and Working From Home
While the restrictions in the UK have made many aspects of life challenging, some people have relished the increase in flexibility working from home gave them. Remote working gave people with children and family commitments more freedom to pick and choose when they would complete assignments and, therefore, in many cases offered a preferable balance between their job and personal life.
The freedom people got during the pandemic is now somewhat under threat as offices and workplaces reopen. Many employees with caring responsibilities now fear that their companies might not continue to support flexible working hours with the return to business as usual.
Generally, amongst the workforce, there is support for the continuation of working practices that have become commonplace over the last year. Nearly one in five people in a recent survey suggested that they would like to continue working entirely from home. An even greater number (57%) indicated they would prefer a home and office work mix. These results show that among employees, there is significant support for flexible working practices.
The Future of Flexible Work
While many employers are still cagey about whether they plan to adopt a less rigid model of working hours and where the work is done, the support within the workforce will undoubtedly add pressure to accommodate a better work/life balance.
Many companies are now adopting a flexible set-up, however. For example, businesses like Flex Legal offer help from legal professionals on a more forgiving schedule. This benefits both their clients and employees, as it allows both to find a better balance.
It is also becoming more common for employees to expect their employers to accommodate their busy lives. More than half of people in a recent survey indicated that their loyalty to a company was impacted by how their employer responded to the pandemic and whether they allowed a more flexible schedule.
Many people had genuine concerns about job security during the pandemic, so they were grateful to have work, regardless of the conditions. Now though, as we move towards a post-covid world, more and more people are pushing for more flexible working hours. These expectations seem to be sitting below the surface at present, but when some semblance of economic stability returns, you can expect the idea of a better work/life balance to be a hot topic.
Covid May Have Been a Blessing in Disguise
While no one could have expected the pandemic, and the effects have been disastrous across all facets of our lives, many people see changes to working practices as a silver lining. People are increasingly aware that they can successfully do their jobs while maintaining a better work/life balance. It seems there will be a push towards more flexible working practices from employees in the future.
