The 8-hour day was yesterday - flexible working is becoming more and more prevalent
According to a new global study, 2 in 3 (70%) workers work at least one day a week outside their office. 53% even work from somewhere else for half the week or more.
An end to the traditional 8-hour day? You have to ask yourself that after reading a recently published global study. People are working less and less in the office and more and more from somewhere else. According to IWG, the parent company of leading workspace providers such as Regus and Spaces, the emergence of this "mobile workforce" has been triggered by technological change, globalization and changing employee expectations. IWG published the aforementioned study on the subject, based on insights from more than 18,000 business professionals in 96 countries. According to this study, 70 % of employees work at least one day per week away from the office. More than one in two (53 %) work remotely at least half the week, and more than one in ten (11 %) work outside their company's main office five times a week.
Has the 8-hour day had its day?
The survey also highlights how companies view the benefits of flexible working strategies on a global scale:
- Business growth (89% - 2016: 67%)
- Competitiveness (87% - 2014: only 59%)
- Productivity (82% - 2013: 75%)
- Attracting and retaining top talent (80% - 2016: 64%).
- Increase profitability (83%)
For generations, office work around the world has been based on a fixed location and an 8-hour day. But more and more companies are now adopting a very different work model that benefits both them and their employees.
Happier and more productive workers
More than half of the Swiss (56%) agreed that flexible working increases job satisfaction, showing that companies need to provide work environments that suit today's worker if they want to retain top-notch employees. The study also showed that it's no longer just startup companies that are embracing flexible working and shared workspaces. The world's most successful companies - including the likes of Etihad Airways, Diesel, GSK, Mastercard, Microsoft, Oracle and Uber - are already using flexible workplaces.
Cost efficiency as the most important reason for using flexible workplaces
The shift to flexible workplaces reflects the changing demands and expectations of the workforce. At 84%, the majority of the Swiss find that fast and reliable Wi-Fi is the main feature of a productive work environment. Similarly, 69% of Swiss respondents appreciate that you only pay for the space you effectively use. Savings can also be made on real estate (49%) and office staff (59%). The advantages are obvious: an overwhelming 93% Swiss said that flexible workplaces lead to greater productivity.
Source: IWG
