How Can You Manage an Effective Flexwork Policy?

1. How Can You Manage an Effective Flexwork Policy? It is not hard to look for managers and HR team members who enforce a stringent working hours’ policy for employees. However, with the changing workforce having more Gen Y individuals, it is not possible to have a strict work timeline in place. Even if one organization is too stubborn to acknowledge the shift for flexwork, another will and that is where millennials would want to join. Hence, this has given rise to the culture and will to manage an effective flexwork policy. The reason behind this shift is an improved working environment and performance-based evaluation model. Let’s deep dive further and see how you can manage an effective flexwork policy. Manage an Effective Flexwork Policy If the HR team of the office is successful in addressing the concerns related to flexwork, implementation can prove beneficial in terms of retention as well as performance. Let’s see how you can manage an effective flexwork policy. 1. Remove the Standard Policy When it comes to flexwork policy, you don’t have a standard policy to look up to. The nature of this policy makes it flexible and modifiable according to every organization. For most of the employers, initial implementation means working 9-5 every day and working from home on some Friday. This is extended only when the organization is ready and the team is ready to handle this flexible environment.

2. Then, teams don’t have defined work to be completed in a particular amount of time. But, teams do have certain responsibilities which need to be fulfilled before a deadline. So, the policy should be developed according to the discretion of managers. The HR managers should assess the acceptance, performance, and loyalty of their employees before making the policy. The policy should clearly define how the manager should implement the flexwork policy. For instance, eligibility, roles and responsibilities, performance, and attendance record. Other than this, the policy should also cover how the team will manage with members not working in the office. The policy should clearly state the expectation of the employee who is taking work- from-home. For instance, the proper usage guidelines for the company’s devices outside the office. 2. Improved Implementation Let’s be honest, you will still have a few people who don’t believe in flexworking. These people when present in the upper levels of hierarchy can make implementation a bit difficult. For instance, if the manager thinks you are not working when you are not in the office, it is hard to get through performance reviews and receive expected rewards and appraisal. Something like this can instantly decrease employees’ motivation towards the new policy. As a result, the initial stages of implementation becomes hard. The managers, as well as the HR teams, need to bridge the communication gap. Maybe, starting implementation can include Friday which can help everyone get acquainted with the system. Gradually, you can move toward a comprehensive flexwork environment. 3. Plan to Involve Your Team It is important to train your staff for flexwork environment. However, it is more important to involve your team in this decision. While you are deciding the particulars of the policy such as work-from-home guidelines or flexible hour guidelines, you should allow your team members to get involved in the discussion. Of course, this involvement can help you in framing the policy. But, more than that, it allows employees to stay more engaged in policy formation. Additional Tips to Remember 1.Don’t start framing the policy on your own. You should research and understand the models of organizations that have already implemented this structure. 2.Understand that you can also implement one step at a time. You can always start with small changes. 3.Don’t forget to educate your staff on flexwork structure and policies beforehand to manage employee expectations. 4.Improve your structure for remote communication. This will make work-from-home easier and hassle-free. 5.Always track your changes and policy implementations. This is to ensure that you are going somewhere. Without performance tracking, there is no point in adopting a flexwork environment.

3. Conclusion To create and manage an effective flexwork policy, the above methods and tips can help the HR team. Simply remember to track your progress and implement the right changes based on the current needs of your organization.