This post is part of our series about the Future of Work, culminating in next month’s event in Tamworth on the 13 September (more here)– we’ll be talking to students, researchers and teachers, graduates and alumni over the next month. Join us via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

What will work look like in the future? What sort of flexible options will employees want? What sort of flexible options will work for employers?

We are entering a new era of limitless flexibility, disrupting older ways of working. No longer is work performed only in an office and only within conventional working hours. We know that 45% of millennials choose flexible working arrangements over salary and compensation, when choosing the ideal company to work for.  In Australia, we know that 30% of employees worked from home in 2016. Working parents with children want to take advantage of flexible working arrangements to ease the burden of juggling work and family. Older employees may have elderly parents that need care.

The nature of work is also evolving, disrupted by globalisation and the advance of mobile communication devices. Many knowledge-based firms have global projects, where employees interact with others in distant offices and time zones. It is now not unusual to have web-based meetings with people in the United States early in the morning; or with co-workers in Europe in the evening. The business world operates 24 x 7 and this brings a subtle expectation that employees should also operate along these lines.

Despite the obvious benefits of flexible working, it simply is not yet a universal offering. Why is that? Sometimes organisations fear loss of productivity; managers fear a loss of control over employees. But this is not always true. Employees who work from home some or all of the week are very careful to make sure that they meet the output expectations of their organisation. 

My own research reveals such employees know that they have to appear highly available and highly responsive. In fact, they use multiple virtual methods and channels to skilfully craft a reputation of high availability.   They use mobile phones and laptops to connect with their co-workers and managers frequently during the day. But, this does not mean that they are connected to their work all the time. In fact, my research further reveals that employees are willing to take small personal breaks during the day, or micro-invisibilities, without requesting manager permission. For example, they use these breaks to pick up children from school, or to attend medical or legal appointments, or to take care of errands.

The trick to making flexible working successful, is to look closely at organisational culture. Leaders need to act as role models, visibly taking advantage of flexible working, and setting the overall tone for the organisation.

Leaders need to inspire change and provide appropriate resources across the organisation to support flexible working. Managers need new ways of managing, looking at employee output, rather than employee presence or face-time. Employees need new ways of making their output visible, and of managing their careers. Crafting their reputations using virtual methods builds the foundation for ongoing career growth.

So, the benefits are obvious. Reduced employee stress, higher job satisfaction, and an attractive employment brand are some of the highlights. Employers of the future must take a strategic approach to devise flexible work arrangements. Companies need to attract and retain talent—flexible working is an important platform for this. The future of work is indeed flexible.

We’re pleased to hear from Dr Justin Field, PhD graduate of UNE Business School as part of our Future of Work focus this month. Find out more about Justin’s thesis and work/education background via his profile.