One year on since the last flexi working directive was introduced, a survey of over 300 SMEs has revealed that flexible working is still elusive for workers of small and mid-size organisations. 77% of HR managers surveyed say flexible working directives have had no impact on their business, and a whopping two thirds (66%) admit they have no flexi workers.
Some SMEs had chosen not to pursue a flexi working initiative at all (18%). The findings question how far the directives go and indeed how well they have been communicated to both business and the general public.
The survey, conducted on behalf of Inter-Tel, the provider of business communications solutions, revealed that only 1% of those questioned had 31% or more of their workforce flexi working as a result of the directives and only 7% of companies questioned have one tenth or more of their workforce regularly working from home. Difficulty in managing remote employees (21%) and the business model (34%) are among the reasons that stand in the way.
Chris Harris, managing director of Inter-Tel, is worried that too many SMEs think they canít implement flexi-working policies because it will cost too much or give rise to conflict with the business model:
ìThere seems to be a common misperception that the flexible working directives are all about the employee and not about the employer. But the reality is far from it. Flexible working is a win-win provided you put in place the right infrastructure. Many of the companies we questioned already have the computer networks in place to facilitate remote working they are just not exploiting them. By integrating phone systems with the IT network, which is relatively cheap and easy to do, employees can divert calls to colleagues anywhere in the world and at local rate tariffs. Employees will then have the complete virtual office environment to work in.
ìFor employers, such initiatives allow them to take advantage of a wider catchment area for skills, and improved motivation, productivity and empowerment that so many studies into flexible working prove will happen. As SMEs struggle to keep costs down as floor space, recruitment and retention costs explode, flexible working has to be an extremely feasible performance enhancing strategy. î
Flexi working eludes two thirds of SMEs
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