Latest news with #flexiblework
Entrepreneur
a day ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Editor's Note: Home Working is Great – Until the Company Gets Too Big
53% of employees say they would consider quitting if asked to increase their in-office presence, emphasizing the ongoing demand for flexible work arrangements. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The new survey on employment sentiment in the UAE, by Michael Page, a global recruitment consultancy, makes fascinating reading. "Despite economic uncertainty, 77%of professionals in the UAE are actively exploring new job opportunities, a sharp rise from 65% in 2024," the survey said. Basically a polite way of saying the majority of your colleagues (and probably you as well) are job hunting. "Companies that can offer clear answers to the pressing questions of today's professionals are better positioned to stand out in a complex talent market," the survey said. It added that recent years have brought dramatic shifts in workplace dynamics in the country, fueled by evolving priorities, new expectations, and rapid AI advancements. But here is the really key bit: while only 34% currently work hybrid, 53% of employees say they would consider quitting if asked to increase their in-office presence, emphasizing the ongoing demand for flexible work arrangements, it said. Unless I read that wrong, what this is saying is that the majority of people would give up their job, and step into the unknown, rather than having to consider actually coming into work. I know there are multiple views on this. But the main point I believe is that companies need to be clear from the outset what their policy is, otherwise, it leads to a muddled work environment where nobody is quite sure who is where and what they are doing. This is especially true is companies with over 200 staff, where communication break downs between those in and out of the office are more common. I have heard many stories of fairly large organizations – some with over 500 staff – where at least 10% are often believed to be "missing." The bigger the organization, the easier it is to disappear from everything but the payroll. "The message from UAE professionals is loud and clear. They want clear answers, purpose, trust, flexibility, and future-focused leadership, said Jon Ede, Regional Director UAE at Michael Page. He couldn't be more right. But in my view, home working policies can be very effective – until companies reach a certain scale, probably the 200 staff mark.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Huge work from home deal about to be struck: What it means for you
Millions of workers could soon be allowed to work from home hassle-free as a growing number of bosses accept hybrid working arrangements are here to stay. Since August, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has been reviewing the Clerks Award – which sets out the minimum legal entitlements for those in clerical and office jobs - to test its relevance for work in post Covid workplaces. The FWC will hear from employers and unions as new models are developed for hybrid workers who spend half of their work week at home. Innes Willox, the chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, said the award was being updated to fit 'modern day reality' as working habits changed. 'Essentially, since Covid, we've had a work from home free-for-all which is now starting to get more structure and shape around it,' he said. 'The industrial relations (IR) system is not set up for work from home or flexible work. The award system is set up around nine to five work, basically.' It's predicted the review will result in a clause to 'remove any existing impediments' to WFH and that the award will be used as a model for others. Unions want their members to earn the 'right to request' WFH days. Currently, employers can reject requests on reasonable business grounds. Some employers have argued a 'free-for-all' attitude towards WFH since the pandemic has impacted on productivity. Critics also say connections are lost in workplaces if employees are at home and that mentorship and leadership is difficult to enforce. But, a landmark government report recently found working from home is actually more productive than going into the office - in moderation. 'Allowing workers to work from home some days can improve worker satisfaction and allows people to benefit by avoiding the commute to work, meaning they have additional time for other purposes,' the Productivity Commission said. Working from home has proven particularly popular with women, who can save on childcare costs and complete other tasks in the hours they usually spend commuting. A hybrid model, mixing work from home and the office, was seen as the best approach to encourage creative interactions. 'Workers do not need to be in the office full-time to experience the benefits of in-person interactions,' it said. 'As a result, hybrid work (working some days remotely and some days in the office) tends to be beneficial to productivity, or at least, is not detrimental to productivity.' The Productivity Commission, however, said in-person interactions were more likely to spark initial breakthroughs. 'A key reason for this is that in-person interactions may be better for collaborative tasks and idea generation,' it said. 'Experimental evidence from engineering firms indicates that idea generation benefits from in-person interactions but in-person and virtual teams were equally effective in evaluating and selecting ideas that have already been developed.'
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Would you work 32 hours over seven days?
A few weeks ago, the 29-year-old boss of a small tech start-up in Wales went on LinkedIn to say he was going to try a new way of working . 'We're abandoning the four-day work week,' said Aled Nelmes, whose staff had just spent two years working roughly 32 hours a week from Monday to Thursday, with no cut in pay from their previous five-day week. This had boosted output and staff retention, he said. So he was going to go a step further with a three-month trial of a completely flexible 32-hour week. Employees could work any time on any day from Monday to Sunday, anywhere they liked. The idea was to make Lumen SEO, the Cardiff search-engine optimisation company he founded in 2020, as attractive as possible to parents, new joiners and its existing seven staff. READ MORE The response to his post, it is fair to say, was large. [ Four-day week easier than hybrid working, Atom Bank chief says Opens in new window ] Nearly 1,000 people commented on an idea that many said sounded 'epic', 'brilliant' and 'stunning'. Several asked if Nelmes was hiring. (He plans to). And some asked the question that first came to my mind: how on earth can something like this work? How do people know who is working when? Do staff feel compelled to be contactable 24/7? How does the business stay responsive to its clients' needs? Nelmes admits the effort takes discipline. He uses a software platform to delegate tasks to staff each Monday, depending on how many hours each job is expected to take. A messaging tool lets everyone know whether people are available or not. A lot of preparation is done for meetings, to avoid wasting time. Everyone has to work at the same time for at least two or three hours a week but Nelmes thinks that in general, the corporate working world is too industrialised for a digital age. So it pays to let people shape their working hours as much as possible. 'I would argue that, because staff members have more time outside of focused, regimented, structured work, they tend to come into the office with more ideas,' he says. So far, Lumen seems to be an outlier. The UK's 4 Day Week Foundation has been encouraging a 32-hour, four-day week for years but its campaign director, Joe Ryle, says most firms adopting the idea work four weekdays. [ Which of these four types of leader are you and why will it help you to know? Opens in new window ] A minority of organisations have tried 32 hours over five weekdays, he said. But he didn't know of any trying Lumen's full-fat version of 32 hours over seven days. I can see why some might try, if they are in a white collar sector and have a business like Lumen, whose staff do a lot of work individually, on tasks such as writing material for company websites. They would also need a boss like Nelmes, who likes to travel and winters on the Canary Islands for weeks at a time. ('You meet lots of interesting people and it's just healthier.') And I'm sure it would help if a business was small. Still, Lumen's trial fits with the pandemic-fuelled shift to more flexible working, which has persisted at a greater scale for longer than many expected, including me. The conventional four-day week itself has proven more tenacious than critics had predicted, though perhaps not as successful as some campaigners hoped. The Indeed job site says the share of postings mentioning a four-day week has risen noticeably since 2020 in the US, Germany, France, Canada and the UK. But it's still below 1 per cent, even in the UK, which has the largest share of the five nations. In 2022, Belgium gave workers the right to ask for a four-day week but only by condensing existing hours, not cutting them. Other regions have trialled the idea, as have many companies. Of the 61 organisations that took part in a big six-month UK trial in 2022, 56 decided to continue with the model, says the 4 Day Week Foundation, which has now accredited more than 230 four-day organisations. Most have 10 to 50 employees. The largest is Atom , the app-based bank, which has around 470 staff. A lot are in sectors such as tech and marketing. But a number are doubtless run by bosses like Nelmes who are convinced this is the way of the future and are, crucially, young. Their ideas might stick around for a lot longer than you think. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These are the benefits that employees actually want—and the number one spot is the same for every generation
Good morning! Managing employees across a four-generation workforce is no easy task, and doing so forces HR leaders to create policies for people with vastly different priorities and perspectives. But when it comes to benefits, a study found that people of all ages agree on what they value most: flexibility. Alternative work schedules, like four-day work weeks, ranked number one on the list of most important benefits by every generation, according to a new study from Mercer Marsh Benefits, a benefits consultancy, which surveyed 18,384 employees. Millennials prioritized flexible work the most (53%), followed by Gen Z (48%), Gen X (47%), and Boomers (43%). And while 49% of workers said that flexible work would be helpful to them or their families, only 32% of employees say their companies allow them to adjust the hours or days they work. That means regardless of age, all workers want the autonomy to manage their day-to-day activities This isn't all too surprising, as many organizations have been attempting to get people back into the office over the past few years. And some are even choosing to implement hard-line return-to-office mandates. But alternative work schedules also makes it easier for employees to take advantage of the other benefits a company offers, the study points out. This includes the ability to take time off to go to medical appointments or therapy. The second highest-ranking benefit remains the same for three out of the four generations. Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X all want the ability to work remotely. Boomers, not surprisingly, ranked flexible options in terms of retirement as their second most valued benefit option. That includes the ability to gradually work fewer hours, modify their job responsibilities, and designate time to transfer knowledge to other generations. From there, benefit priorities vary a bit across age groups. Younger workers like Gen Z want mental health screenings and coverage for doctor visits, Millennials want upskilling opportunities, Gen X is looking towards retirement, and Boomers are focused on preventative care like cancer screenings. So while it may seem difficult for HR leaders to figure out how to tailor their benefits across generations, it's helpful to remember that the need for work-life balance isn't going anywhere, and that allowing employees a little bit of autonomy over how they run their lives can go a long way. Brit CHRO Daily is off Monday, May 26 for the Memorial Day holiday. We'll be back in your inboxes Tuesday, May 27. This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
SilverStars Care targets further expansion after becoming one of Dorset's fastest-growing care providers
DORSET, UK - A care provider set up by a mum who wanted to change the way care services were delivered is pushing for further expansion after growing to a team of 50. When Ewelina Wiesner founded SilverStars Care in 2017, she wasn't chasing profit, she was answering a personal call for change. A dedicated carer and mother of twin daughters and an older son, Ewelina had seen both sides of the sector: the emotional toll on families and the relentless pressure on those providing care. 'I loved my job, but once I became a mum, I realised just how inflexible and unsupportive the system really was — for carers and clients,' she explains. 'It needed to change, and I was determined to be part of that change.' Born from that determination, SilverStars Care is now one of Dorset's fastest-growing care providers. With a team of 50, a £1.8 million annual turnover, and services designed around real lives — not rigid routines — the company is challenging the status quo of social care. What sets SilverStars apart is its genuine focus on people. In an industry where over half of adult social care providers report recruitment struggles, Ewelina took a different route. She built a flexible, family-friendly culture, recruited a diverse range of skilled professionals, and prioritised staff wellbeing just as much as client satisfaction. It's a winning combination. During the COVID-19 crisis, while many providers scaled back, Ewelina expanded her office team to support her carers, prevent burnout, and protect quality of care. 'Our carers give so much of themselves, emotionally and physically. It's our responsibility to take care of them too,' Ewelina said. The result is a growing business with a big heart, backed by an outpouring of appreciation from families across Dorset. 'We get letters, cards, emails from people saying we made a difference when they needed it most. That's everything to us.' SilverStars Care is now preparing to launch live-in care services and respite support for families who need a break from 24/7 caring, and Ewelina is passionate about offering support without judgment or guilt. 'Family carers need time to breathe, and to know their loved ones are still receiving outstanding care.' Even as the business grows, Ewelina is committed to keeping it personal. Plans are underway to appoint a dedicated customer service lead, ensuring clients always have someone warm, approachable, and responsive to turn to. 'At the end of the day, care isn't just a service — it's a relationship,' says Ewelina. 'We're here to make sure people feel seen, supported, and truly cared for — every single day.' Media Contact Company Name: SilverStars Care Contact Person: Ewelina Wiesner Email: Send Email Country: United Kingdom Website: Source: PR Company
