According to a report compiled by the Georgetown University Law Center, nearly 80% of workers claim they want more access to flexible work options and would use them if there were no perceived negative career consequences.
Employees say that the likes of job sharing, part-time work, compressed work hours and telecommuting improve their work-life balance and productivity.
However, there's still much doubt around the ability of workers to turn the new flexible thinking into reality. There is light in the distance though and it's coming, as many innovations do, from small businesses who are emerging as leaders in the flexible work movement.
According to the 2014 National Study of Employers which canvassed more than a 1,000 employers, small businesses allow employees more control over the hours they work.
One consulting business based in New York, USA Group PMX which specialises in project and construction management, is proof that it can work for both employees and employers. With the right systems and processes and most importantly, culture, in place they demonstrate best proactive in flexible working.
For a start Group PMX’s business is conducted from remote locations but the company chose not to have a central office for its employees. Its human resources manager works from home full-time, and all other employees are based on-site at clients' locations and move from project to project as needed.
"There are many firms with large office spaces in midtown Manhattan and no one there because they are out where the clients are,” said Farid Cardozo, president and chief operating officer of Group PMX. By growing its employee base without being limited by physical boundaries, Group PMX is staying ahead of national trends.
By not being confined to the traditional office structure, Group PMX did not need to purchase, rent or renovate an office space. "We took the money saved from real estate and reinvested it in our employees in the form of a great benefits package," said Michael Giaramita, the company's CEO.
But fostering connectivity is key and without a head office, Group PMX has looked for other ways to keep its people connected. All new employees meet with the HR manager prior to starting, and managers regularly travel to job sites to meet with their employees.
The firm also hosts quarterly meetings where all the employees come together to socialise, learn about new marketing initiatives and gain insight into the state of the firm and upcoming projects.
What the survey also found was vital is the adoption of the plethora of tech solutions which now make remote working as connected as being there.
"It is key to invest in IT if you are going to offer a significant level of workplace flexibility," Giaramita said. Group PMX provides all its employees with iPhones, laptops or iPads as needed. In addition to using email for daily communication, the company makes use of Web tools such as cloud-based timesheets and expense management systems, a file storage and management system that can access files for any project from any device, from anywhere in the world.
Software designed for note-taking and archiving that helps manage the firm's marketing needs is also utilised and together these systems make it seamless to submit invoices and timesheets, get paid on time, and communicate with colleagues and clients.
"With flexibility at our core, we've been able to excel at what we do and not miss a beat," Giaramita said.
Big business needs to take heed.
