Editorial
Research Report
The State of the Digital Workplace
Employees are increasingly valuing things like flexibility over other employee perks. That makes it more important now than ever for organizations to design more flexible workplaces, as I covered in a recent article.
Of course, things aren't always so straightforward. A second study showed that people who get flexible work are less likely to receive pay rises and promotions and research from Swinburne University of Technology found that leaders hold the key to achieving the benefits of flexible working, who need to create the right environment and culture for it to thrive.
What Employees Can Do to Gain Flexible Work
Can employees do anything to sway the decision? Researchers from RMIT University's School of Management posed that question, exploring if the way we ask for flexible work could impact how successful the request is, in terms of the chances of it being granted, and whether it has any consequences down the road.
The researchers wanted to see why some requests for flexible work were approved and others rejected. They asked participants, all of whom had managerial experience, to actually make those decisions.
The requests were designed to be as realistic as possible and typically focused on four main arguments: better work-life balance, improving productivity, caring responsibilities or getting the work done rather than focusing on hours worked. The researchers also mixed up the gender of the requester and the degree of flexibility they were asking for.
Which Approaches Worked
The results show that the most successful requests typically revolved around either caring responsibilities or a desire to improve productivity. Those that requested because of personal well-being or autonomy were less likely to be granted.
The results didn't show any noticeable difference in the acceptance rate of men versus women. This is interesting as historically there has been an association (and therefore a stigma) between flexible work and women, perhaps because of a tendency to associate it with greater caring responsibilities.
Respondents appeared more likely to grant requests for lower amounts of flexibility, however, with approvals for two days more likely than four. The results also suggest that parents, whether male or female, are unlikely to be penalized for requesting flexible work due to caring responsibilities. At least, they won't likely be punished in terms of their request being rejected, but the researchers took pains to remind us that they didn't look at any downstream impact on the requester's careers.
Make the Business Case
Perhaps the most effective way to counter this, and also succeed with your request, is to make the business case. The data showed that when people were able to do this, they were just as likely to succeed as when they cited caring responsibilities. This might also ward off any threats to one's career.
A good place to start is to focus on the productivity gains. The argument here is especially strong when you're doing deep work that needs sustained concentration. It's well-known that office environments are attention sinks, so if you need to focus, quiet can be best. You could also highlight the time wasted on commuting that you'd happily commit to doing more.
Attempting to quantify these benefits might also be worthwhile. Specificity helps here. For instance, you could propose using your most productive hours (whether early morning or late evening) when working from home, or commit to specific deliverables that demonstrate the arrangement is working.
You should also anticipate any concerns and tackle them head on. For instance, a common issue is around things like communication and collaboration. I've written a few times that remote work doesn't have to affect either of those, but it does require a slightly different approach. If you can show you're being proactive and not letting these issues slide, then you're more likely to be successful with your request.
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You should also focus the conversation on the deliverables. Managers focus on time spent with your bum on the seat because it's easy to measure, but outcomes are what really matter. Shift the conversation from time spent at a desk to results delivered. Outline how you'll measure success in your role and propose accountability measures that focus on output rather than presence.
Last, but not least, don't ignore engagement and well-being entirely. While the research suggests well-being arguments are less persuasive on their own, you can frame this through a business lens too. Note that flexible arrangements reduce burnout and turnover costs, and that you're more likely to stay with an employer long-term if this need is met.
If you can show that flexible working isn't just something that benefits you but also the organization, then your request for it is more likely to succeed, both in the short and long-term.
Editor's Note: Even though companies demanded a return to office, flexible work is never going back in the genie bottle:
- Why Flexibility and Trust Define the New World of Work — The ongoing debate between return to office or work from home misses the point. The question isn't where we work, but how.
- Return-to-Office Myths, Realities and the Future of Work — It's time we have an honest and open conversation about the way we work, and it starts by unpacking some of the biggest RTO myths.
- Working From Home Is Good, Except When Both Partners Do It — Working from home with your partner has its tradeoffs: great for your career, but hard on your relationship — especially if you're a woman.
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