Introduction
The changes and demands of the workplace are very important to be dealt with to affect the lives of the workers positively. This also increases the employees’ productivity and they are challenged to work in a very smart and effective way. The employees are striving to attain a balance on their personal lives and their work. When this balance is achieved, there is the satisfaction on the employees’ personal life and the employer also benefits from the effectiveness in their productivity as they pursue to achieve their goals. Some barriers have been highlighted which are experienced by the organizations offering flexibility in the workplace. The benefits also for workplace flexibility have been discussed. Some strategies have been covered which are appropriate to the organizations to increase the productivity of the workplace flexibility. The report also has put forward a strategy that needs to be implemented by an organization so that they can experience robust effectiveness and productivity of the employees (Avery & Zabel, 2001).
Barriers to workplace flexibility
Workplace flexibility has barriers in an organization that is utilizing it. Various initiatives are not being implemented at the workplace because people do not like any kind of change. There is the attitude of the employees who think that workplace flexibility is not suited to their work environment. This is because people fear change since they see it as a way that will prevent them from being in control. There is also the tendency of people to fear the implications which may arise since there is the belief that they are negative hence should be avoided. There is the fear of the abuse of workplace flexibility by the employees. The employees may abuse the system which has been put in place especially when they have already started operating or executing their duties outside the office. This is because the employees will take the advantage of lack of their boss while working. The managers also will not trust the employees since they will not know whether the employees are working or not as they are not together. There are concerns about equity at the workplace over work flexibility. Fairness in determining the employees to be assigned to the workplace flexibility has been a barrier. This is because there has been a lack of fairness as indicated with specific positions and jobs which can access the workplace flexibility (Roundtree & Lingle, 2008).
Benefits of workplace flexibility
There are benefits that an organization achieves in offering workplace flexibility. One of them is that the employees will be effective and productive since they deliver the best at their comfort concerning the time and place of work. The organization also can attract many talented individuals for employment hence there will be an increase in the production by the company. The organizations will also retain the best group of staff in the organization hence increasing its competitiveness in goods and service delivery. Workplace flexibility also enhances the employee’s satisfaction and hence they concentrate on increasing the organizations’ output as its one of the key functions of workplace productivity. Creativity is also enhanced in the utilization of workplace flexibility as the environment is enabling for any new idea which is result-oriented. Leadership capabilities are highly enhanced among the employees as indicated in their ways of communication, strategizing plans which need to be executed, and prioritizing them accordingly. The employees also are challenged to work in teams which encourages their productivity and their talent utilization hence the company results are increased accordingly. Coordination of the employees is also harnessed hence the company can concentrate on the production rather than the communication and following up of the employees (Christensen, 2010).
Strategies
Strategies have been put in place which guides the improvement of workplace flexibility. There is a need for the company to utilize success stories in the company. This will pave the way for the employees to adopt better ways of increasing their productivity and utilizing another new system. This also prepares them well for a better alternative system which leads to the improvement of workplace flexibility. There is a need for the organization to implement the strategy as it’s one of the beneficial means in increasing the productivity and efficiency of the employees.
Asking the employees for their comments or opinions about an alternative work option is a very important strategy that can be used by the company to improve workplace flexibility. This increases the employees’ abilities to establish better understanding and informed ways of the kind of work system in place. This also instills the power of importance to the employees who will know that they are very important in the organization and they are part of the decisions which are being made. This also increases their work morale and their production will be increased. Telecommuting is also another important strategy that should be implemented in a company to improve workplace flexibility. This is a way which makes the employees happy on their work hence increases their productivity. Through this strategy, a virtual workplace will be established and it should be secured. All the tools which are essential for the virtual environment should be put in place so that the production flow will not be interfered with even when there are employees within the office (Nacrelli, n.d.).
Recommendation
The best strategy which should be put in place is telecommuting. This strategy is very important to the organization as the employees’ time and place of work are secured with an inflow of production. The strategy is very useful as there will be no hindrances on the job done since everyone can take care of his or her responsibility without being followed up or supervised physically. There will also be increased production and efficiency since the employees will be happy in their work and the flexibility. Working outside the corporate office is valuable to the employees and the organization at large. This is very useful and it has direct objectives as the individual will strive to attain his or her personal goals. This will ensure that the person attains his or her goals hence it directly benefits the employer as well. This benefit is crucial to the key players in the industry.
References
Avery, C., & Zabel, D., 2001. The flexible workplace: a sourcebook of information and research. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Christensen, K., 2010. Workplace Flexibility: Realigning 20th-Century Jobs for a 21st-Century Workforce. Puerto Rico: Cornell Univ pr.
Nacrelli, T., n.d. Flexibility in the Workplace – Five Success Strategies. Web.
Roundtree, L. & Lingle, K., 2008. Workplace Flexibility: Innovation in Action. New York: WorldatWork.