Work Flexibility Is No Longer Just A Corporate Issue

Flexible jobs, or jobs that can be done remotely, are very common today. A recent Gallup survey found that 43% of American employees spend at least some time working remotely.

The nearly half of jobs that can be done remote is no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention, as technology has paved the way for workers to unplug or become location independent. It’s the same reason why millennials are keen to become digital nomads and travel while they work.

Employers benefit by having remote employees because their productivity spikes without distractions provided by an office environment. Further, a FlexJobs reportfound that 82% of millennials said they are more loyal to their employer if they have flexible work options.

Credit: Picjumbo.com

Work flexibility for millennials is often a non-negotiable.

This resistance by some companies to flexible work has prompted the creation of 1 Million for Work Flexibility, a national initiative advocating for broader adoption of work flexibility. Further, some cities have introduced legislation that makes local companies adopt more flexible work policies.

“1 Million for Work Flexibility doesn’t endorse or lobby for any specific legislation,” said Emma Plumb, Director of 1 Million for Work Flexibility. “However, one of our goals is to expand awareness around work flexibility policy and proposals nationwide. While folks might have different opinions on how laws in this area (if any) should look, even just proposed legislation in this area is a sure sign that flexibility is part of the general conversation, which is a positive step towards change.”

If nearly half our workforce is able to arrange for flexible work policies, then why is it taking so long to make this the norm? Even worse, why do we need legislation to guide the way?

“Part of the reason for the slow progression is simply that change is hard,” shared Plumb. “But a crucial piece of the puzzle is that work flexibility has tended to be stuck in the realm of human resource departments, or management theory. We need everyone to be talking about how work doesn’t work anymore and more importantly, how we can fix it.”

1 Million for Work Flexibility shares stories and experiences on their blog to help encourage other employers to make the change. At the root of it all, they are advocating for something that should be part of the framework of most of the American workforce.

“Flexibility is a need, not a nice-to-have,” said Plumb. “I wouldn’t be working at all if I couldn’t work from home and the reality is many people aren’t working because they don’t have access to the flex they need. With that in mind, the list of who needs flex is long. In fact, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t need it for some reason or other. All of those reasons are valid, whether it’s the parent who needs to attend an afternoon parent/teacher conference, the caregiver who needs to help his aging relative get to a doctor’s appointment, the military spouse who faces regular moves, the athlete who’s training for competition, the millennial who wants to volunteer in her community, or the night-owl who’s still half asleep at 9 AM.”

“Companies that employ remote workforces don’t have to maintain expensive facilities and if they choose their remote workers carefully and build an effective workplace culture that supports their offsite team, they don’t have to sacrifice quality or group cohesiveness in exchange for that massive savings,” said Shannon Miles, CEO & co-founder of BELAY, a virtual services company.

“Remote workers gain more control over their lives and schedules,” Miles continues. “They don’t have to deal with commuting, which currently wastes billions of hours a year in the U.S., or incur the expenses associated with traveling to work. People who work from home often have flexible schedules that allow them to be more available to their families, so they can care for young children and assist older family members.”

BELAY operates as a 100% remote company because of many of the reasons Miles listed above. Remote companies often catch the eye of millennial candidates as they search for the right fit for their lifestyle.

“I do feel that it is easier to work virtually for me than some because of the technology that was available to me when I was growing up and throughout my education,” said Laina Moore, IT Manager and millennial employee at BELAY. “I got my Business Degree 100% virtually. Throughout college I lived at home and worked full time. My classes, and assignments where 100% online. It was there I learned how to utilize technology to give myself freedom, all while attending school. I learned how to be accountable on my own, how to prioritize my work, and also how to leverage ever-changing technology to continue to grow my knowledge and skills.”

Employers shouldn’t scoff at legislation that encourages flexible work. In fact, they should embrace it with open arms as candidates and employees everywhere desire the ability to work effectively on their own terms.