Labor flexibility is born from agreements that are generated between employers and employees. These pacts and decisions have to be made between the two parties, because the productivity and performance of the teams cannot be affected.
Flexible schedules are usually very common when talking about work flexibility. These allow a balance between the time spent on “professional and personal life, allowing to more easily meet the different priorities of the worker,” says Lina Correa, manager of Man power Group Solutions.
Among the aspects in which bosses tend to be more flexible, are work permits for family commitments, special dates and also departures from the workplace, in order to be able to carry out personal or last-minute errands.
When these policies are introduced in companies, it is essential that those who enjoy them, are collaborators who are distinguished by making a good management of their time and, who also stand out for skills such asself-management and responsibility; The fulfillment of objectives and goals, together with constant feedback, should always go hand in hand with this type of proposal.
Not all companies adopt these practices, however, there are situations that do not give room for negotiation and that are “related to mandatory leave, for example, the exercise of suffrage, a proven serious domestic calamity, performance of transitory official positions, practice of union commissions or attendance at the funeral of comrades,” says Correa.
Companies can opt for labor flexibility, as long as the employee is committed to being fulfilled, organized with his time and responds to the objectives or commitments that have been assigned to him in his team.
In addition to teleworking or intensive work, there is also “the compressed work week, which has intensified work schedules, this to achieve an earlier departure or complete rest on another day,” says Carolina Forero, Marketing & Communications Manager at Hays.
As a boss you must prevent permissions from getting out of hand
In order not to misaccustom employees, leave should not become constant, these “should always be sporadic and non-routine cases; the benefits must usually be accompanied by the commitment and performance of the employee, which must be fulfilled to obtain them, “says Alejandro Arévalo, executive manager of DNA Human Capital.
“Another non-negotiable aspect is the transparency of information, you must always be clear and honest with the boss,” concludes Arévalo.
When can it not be implemented?
Flexible working hours is an attractive benefit. It leads to better staff retention rates and productivity can improve. However, “there are positions that by their nature do not allow flexibility in schedules, for example, hourly work for a specific job or in positions where a function must be performed at a precise time, such as in production factories or those people who work in customer service,” says Lina Correa, manager of Man power Group Solutions.