Flexible Work Rules Lead to Happier Staff?
Why Healthy and Happy Employees Perform Better
Happy, contented employees are usually higher performers than others. Happiness typically releases enzymes into the human body that deliver energy, clarity, motivation, and other positive internal benefits. Workplace performance is most often improved when employees are content.
The combination of psychological and physical effects of good health and internal happiness appears to directly generate high-level performance. Management strategies that focus on creating this environment can be very effective. Flexible work rules are often an important component in a good program.
How Flexible Work Hours Often Creates More Contented Staff
Flexible work schedules and flex time programs can contribute significantly to healthy and happy staff. What have studies shown that support this belief?
- Feeling of empowerment. Employees who are allowed to have some determination of their work hours provide positive feelings of empowerment. Instead of their employer dictating a rigid work schedule, the employee has input and a bit of power in its determination.
- More freedom to manage personal issues. With so many parents working full-time, finding the time to handle personal issues such as doctor and dentist appointments, children’s school events and athletics, visiting grandparents, auto repairs, and many other issues, becomes problematic. Flex time work schedules can often give employees better ability to manage these necessities without using valuable vacation or personal time.
- Better ability to improve quality of life. Whether single, married, or married with children, employees around the globe consistently place quality of life high on their personal and professional lists of concerns and desires. Flexible work schedules can often contribute to an improved quality of life, even if only superficially.
- Opportunity to work when at one’s best. Everyone knows “morning people,” “night owls,” and others who are at their best at different periods during each day. There are many people who enjoy working 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. or 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – and many others who abhor these work hours. Flexible work schedules give employees the opportunity to perform their job functions when they feel most confident, often improving performance.
- Better ability to pursue a healthy lifestyle. Many employees are dedicated joggers, walkers, bicyclists, and gym workout warriors. Flex time often provides more convenient periods to pursue these healthy activities. Often, a simple change like reporting to the workplace an hour later than “normal” and then working an extra hour at the end of the day might permit a working mother the ability to get her kids off to school and then jog a few miles before going to work. Her employer receives a full workday and the employee accomplishes her personal and healthy activities at reasonable times, without any feelings of guilt or extra stress.
Types of Flexible Work Rules and How They Work
Flexible work rules and flex time opportunities can have many forms and restrictions. Some industries, by their nature, can make flexible work rules difficult to offer or implement. For example, consider the potential chaos that might occur at a hospital if the medical staff had carte blanche to set their own schedules. Police, fire, childcare, and schools are but a few industries that would face challenges if they offered flexible hours.
In some cases, as in Great Britain, government may influence flexible working conditions. For example, in 2003, the government published regulations that permitted employees to “request” flexible working conditions if they are parents of children under the age of six or disabled children under 18 years old. On one hand, this regulation appears to take the decision-making responsibility away from management. Yet, note the key word “request.” The regulation only permits the employee to request more flexible work rules, but places no mandate on management to approve the request. While it is a noble thought, this regulation changes little in the real world.
At times, for all the apparent benefits to management and employees of flex time, the program simply doesn’t work in the manner intended. For instance, the state of Ohio had flexible work rules for over 15 years, but in 2008 made its working conditions much more strict. On one or more Fridays, the Governor noticed that some departments were barely staffed and took action. This lack of teamwork and apparent dedication caused a negative change in work rules.
When they work properly, however, the results are typically positive. Flex time might involve adjusting employees’ time in the office to earlier or later than standard hours. It might permit one or two days of working from a home office, if responsibilities can be performed remotely. Flex time may provide that individuals can work four 10-hour days while enjoying three days off per week.
If staff cooperates with each other, instead of losing efficiency, as apparently happened in Ohio, the company enjoys more “coverage” as different employees will be in the office longer, keeping switchboards, e-mails, or order processing available for more hours. Employees having the opportunity to construct a more personally-friendly work schedule tend to be happier and, often, healthier. Independent studies indicate that this human condition often translates into better performance.
Flexible work rules may not motivate the classic couch potato to get out of the house and walk or run down to the local gym, but for those many employees trying to have a healthy lifestyle, it often provides more opportunity to engage in these activities. Flex time may not make better parents, but it gives people more opportunity to handle personal issues in a timely fashion.
If your company operates in an industry that might benefit from offering flexible work schedules, why not consider doing so? You can set your own rules, opportunities, policies, and procedures. Possibly, you could “start small” by offering some limited flexible work choices. Then, measure the effect on employees and productivity. Decide if there is improvement and cooperation to warrant the expansion or elimination of this flexibility.
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