Why IT Employees Are Opting for Flexible Work Arrangements Over Work From Office

With the onset of the pandemic, companies all around the world were forced to adopt a new work environment; work from home. This gave rise to the habit of people working from the comfort of their own place and time. In short, a flexible work environment was created especially for those working in the IT sector.

People could now give extra time to themselves, their families, and their hobbies, which all were unmanageable earlier.

But with lives returning to normal, firms have resumed work from the office again. And this has led people to leave their current jobs and look for flexible work arrangements. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 88% of IT employees are ready to quit their current job. Some are in search of work-from-home opportunities whereas some are willing to leave for better-paying jobs.

What Is Flexible Work Arrangement

Flexible work arrangements or as some call it flextime, is basically the method of working without the constraints of traditional jobs. This allows employees to maintain their work-life balance in a much better way.

Freelancing, for example, is a type of flexible work system where people take the project and work on their terms. They are not required to adhere to any strict schedule of office hours or rush to the office every morning.

Types Of Flexible Work Arrangements

Depending on the needs of organizations and the employees, flexible work schemes cover different types of work:

Flextime:

Flextime is a work schedule that allows employees to change their workday and choose/adjust their start and end times. An extremely beneficial working arrangement for people working in the IT sector. However, even in flextime, staff are required to work a certain number of core hours within a given time frame.

This allows employees to focus on personal matters while also being available for office work at designated times. This working system has also been shown to increase worker productivity, as per Gartner 2021 Digital Worker Experience Survey.

Part-Time:

Part-time work is one of the most basic forms of flexible working. Employees are required to only on specific days and a certain number of hours per week/month.

Hiring part-time employees are especially advantageous for businesses that operate on a fixed or limited budget by lowering their operating costs. Additionally, part-time work also helps people financially who are in need but can’t work full-time.

Remote Work:

Employees who work remotely are not required to relocate to the company’s location. Rather, they are the ones selecting their work location based on their needs and desires. A frequent step is being taken by IT companies today.

However, this was not the case a few years back. In the past, employers looked down upon remote workers. They saw it as a reason for their employees to easily get distracted as their managers were not there to keep eye on them.

But with advanced technologies coming in, remote work and workers have now started gaining importance. Teleconferencing and video conferencing have in fact advanced to the point where businesses are actually thriving on completely remote teams. In fact, following the work-from-home model has resulted in a 47% increase in productivity style=”color:#1967d2;text-decoration: underline;” .

Compressed Workweek:

Usually, employees are required to work 40-48 hours and 5 days per week. However, there are weeks when employees get fully drained or need urgent holidays. Looking at this situation, a compressed workweek becomes an enticing working arrangement for employees.

Here, people are required to complete basic 40 hours work week but in a slightly different way. A person can work 10-12 hours a day, complete the hour/week requirement in 3-4 days, and get an additional day off. IT employees are in fact seen as more productive with such a working style.

Shift Work:

Shift work is a form of flexible working arrangement where all the staff works in rotations. This type of system is typically used in industries that require businesses to operate 24 hours a day or seven days a week.

As a result of shift work, employers are able to keep their work going at any time throughout the day. However, employers must ensure that employees are not subjected to undue stress which is very common in the IT sector.

Benefits of a Flexible Work Arrangement for IT Organizations and Employees

Technology advancements have eliminated the need for employees to work in a rigid office environment. Flexible work arrangements allow them to work from any location and improve their work-life balance.

Reduced Costs:

The system of a flexible work environment has multiple advantages for companies. They get to save costs on multiple occasions:

• No expense of keeping employees on desk
• Internet usage
• General office expenses
• Cutting down costs on individual office spaces and opting for co-working ones.
• Also, get the chance to hire trusted and quality global talents when hired from reliable sources.

Increased Productivity:

Long and expensive commute to the office drains employees’ money and energy and after. Long commutes also drain all their energy thus impacting their productivity a work.

But with a system where people can work from their own space and on their own time, companies encourage them to be more productive. They allow workers to focus on work instead of being stuck in traffic.

Improved Work Culture:

Employees’ satisfaction in their personal lives is directly proportional to their productivity at work. Flexible work arrangements are one of the ways of achieving this.

It not only boosts their overall morale but also encourages them to value their work more. This is especially important in the IT industry, where it is commonly assumed that people don’t get time for their personal lives at all. And a happy employee means no sudden resignations and productive and positive results at work.

Better Retention:

According to studies, even the use of occasional flexible working arrangements makes employees happy at work. This makes them stay at their current organization for a longer period of time.

In fact, the new generation of workers is more likely to value workplace flexibility than monetary compensation. Companies that implement such a work culture not only prevent or reduce employee turnover, but also the additional costs of regular recruitment.

Businesses Considering Flexible Work Arrangements

Flexible work hours and schedules have immense benefits for both employees and employers.

Flexible schedules will give your company a recruiting advantage while also lowering overhead costs. Furthermore, as an employee, flexible work arrangements will improve your work-life balance and increase your job satisfaction.

Businesses are also beginning to implement flexible work systems, albeit slowly.

If your company is also open to flexible work arrangements, don’t limit yourself to a particular type while hiring workers. Find flexible talent to fill gaps quickly, whenever your company requires a resource; for a limited time, or for a new or specific skill.

Gig work, which relies on temporary and freelance employees, has become an important part of our culture and economy. It is now easier than ever to hire exceptional talent who prioritizes flexible work arrangements. So the next time, you go on a hunt for talents, consider Book My Talent for hiring independent professionals.

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