You will never find an employee that doesn’t love having a career where they feel they are respected as an individual. Companies are willing to compromise with their employees to making them feel comfortable and happy, especially, if it escalates productivity. Employers expect sales and productivity and employees want flexibility and understanding. How can an employer find a balance between what they want and what their employees want to help make their company successful?
First of all, finding a balance between employee wants and employer needs is not impossible, but compromising on a common ground can be tough. The average employee works for a company with designated business hours, however, some companies work with flexible schedules. The problem with flexible schedules and positions is employers expects to reach their employees at all times- especially during non-business hours. Is this truly fair, especially when communication tools (i.e. cell phones, email) make it almost impossible to differentiate work from home considering most work is done when using a personal device away from the office?
To make workplace flexibility accommodating, an employer should recognize and allow the employee the ability to have versatile response times, while they are away from the office, especially on weekends and non- work hours. A lot of employees do not even take a vacation because of the high requirements of needed responses from employers and are afraid to take a break from working due to the demands of employers. Face it, employees are insecure, especially, those in a flexible workplace. Employers expect too much and sometimes lack respect for their flexible employees, however, employees shouldn’t leave or take extended breaks (i.e. vacations for two weeks) when they have unfinished projects.
There is no doubt that workplace flexibility is an interesting idea and a lot of employees wouldn’t mind being away from the office a lot more, however, workplace flexibility requires a well-qualified employee whom possesses a vast amount of motivation and is driven toward success for himself and the company.
As a benefit for the employer, a lot of flexible employees are willing to sacrifice a pay cut for the opportunity to work from home. It takes trust and dedication from both the employer and the employee to make flexibility work to increase productivity and success.