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flexible

Explore some of the most important considerations related to flex work and find out how Mercer can help

Flexible work isn’t a novel trend, but the conversation has accelerated as a result of the pandemic that forced many employers to adapt overnight. Whether your organization is just starting to explore all the options of flexible working, you want to gauge the effectiveness of policies you’ve had for a while, or you’re somewhere in between, you’ve come to the right place.

One thing is for sure — it’s time to embrace flex work for the long-term. A recent Mercer survey revealed 97% of organizations were planning to adopt flex work policies of some kind on a permanent basis1. As flexible work becomes more common, and even expected, having effective and inclusive policies is the best way to compete for the talent you need while also increasing productivity and employee engagement.

Unlock the true potential of flex work

Employees are enthusiastic about the potential of flex work. So to attract and retain the top talent your organization needs to thrive, it’s essential that you’re offering inclusive policies for all different types of workers.

It’s not only about “where” employees are working from.
Offering flex work broadly is made possible by considering the:

 

who

when

what

how

Mercer’s “Flexible Dimensions Worksheet” will help you map out inclusive flexibility policies for all of your jobs.

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Flexible work benefits for employers

Broader talent pool
Remote work makes it possible to recruit nationally for top-tier talent.

Strong productivity
According to a recent survey, 94% of organizations saw no decrease in output from work-from-home policies during the pandemic. By giving employees more control it leads to lower absenteeism, more productive hours “on the job,” and less turnover.

Realize savings from reduced turnover
In another survey, 56% of respondents said they would consider employment elsewhere if flex work is not available from their current employer.

Strengthened employee value proposition
Bring more to the table to keep a competitive edge when hiring new talent — and motivating your current workforce to stay loyal.

Flexible work benefits for employees

Flex work policies extend a myriad of benefits to employees, too. Below are just a few examples.

Increased morale
Workers are often more content in their jobs, which in turn, results in less turnover.

Stronger productivity
In a Stanford University study of a company’s trial work-from-home policy, output increased by 13% due to improved attendance and more hours “on the job.”

Better work-life balance
Workers benefit from a variety of quality-of-life improvements, including having more time to spend with their children and the ability to relocate to a new region.

Get the Mercer Flexible Working Policies & Practices Survey today for insights on policy trends and movement, prevalence, and planned changes in the near future so that your flexible work program is as effective as possible.

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Impact on pay

If a dispersed workforce is part of your flexible work strategy, questions related to pay are inevitable. It’s important to ask yourself questions like:

  • Is your pay strategy competitive given your new footprint?
  • Are you competing with new or different industries for hourly workers?
  • Do you adjust pay for employees who choose to relocate?
  • Should you pay remote workers based on where they are located or where you are headquartered?
  • Does a local or national pay strategy make sense going forward?

Understanding local wages, in-demand jobs, and the relevance of cost of labor and cost of living can help you make the right adjustments to your pay strategy for the new way of work.

Related articles:

As remote work takes root, do tech workers face pay cuts?

How to determine pay for your remote workers

Cost of living versus cost of labor

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What are your employees thinking?

Whether flexible work is relatively new for your organization or you’ve offered it for years, you’ll still want to take a regular pulse of your employees’ top priorities to create an effective and sustainable flexible work program. In today’s digital world there are a lot of different ways to find out exactly what your employees are thinking and expecting.

Pulse surveys

Collect valuable employee feedback on employee engagement, emerging organizational problems, and other vital topics via pulse surveys on a quarterly, monthly, or even weekly basis. Learn more >

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Digital focus groups

Are your workers feeling a little bit “surveyed out”? Digital focus groups are an alternative method where feedback is collected anonymously in real-time, so you can obtain typically hard-to-discover insights from up to 1,000 employees all at once. Learn more >

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It’s time to embrace the new shape of work

Flexible working is a complex issue, there’s no doubt about that. But with the help of the insights and tools presented on this page, you can feel confident in your policies (and all they have to offer). If you need some additional help along the way on your flex work journey, Mercer is always standing by.

Call today at 800-333-3070 or send an email to surveys@mercer.com.

1 Mercer 2021 United States Flexible Working Policies & Practices Survey, published May 2021