The world of work has undeniably changed during the last two years. Flexible working opportunities, including work from home, hybrid work, and hub (office) working, are rapidly becoming the new norm.

Consider this alongside the new flexible working bill revealed in June 2021, and work environments might change beyond recognition for businesses across a range of sectors in the marketplace.

The flexible working bill introduces several considerations for businesses in search of talent for 2022. That means evaluating working practices for a lot of industries, including if and how people return to the office.

Employers will be required to offer flexible arrangements in employment contracts and explain what work schedules are available when advertising job vacancies.

While the data suggests that employees who work in the professional and commercial sectors, such as law, can be just as efficient in a flexible working environment, the right talent growth strategies will still need to be in place to ensure a business’ ongoing success.

Fail to provide the right working opportunities, and you could risk losing current staff while having your hiring offers rejected.

As a first start, let’s clarify the various working opportunities we are talking about here.

Defining Flexible Working Models

To ensure you’re prepared to welcome the new age of work, you’ll first need to understand what different flexible working modes entail.

1. 1. Homeworking

Otherwise known as remote working, home working involves allowing employees to work from home or remotely consistently in their role. This may include having video conferences with clients, fellow team members, and other departments.

1. 1. Hybrid working

Hybrid working combines home working with time in the office. It involves employees coming into the office and working remotely when their role allows.
Hybrid working has been available in many businesses over the last few years, with some partners working from home one day a week.
This is now changing, and even though employers and employees have enjoyed the benefits of working from home, the pandemic has also highlighted the wellbeing and connection needs of everyone. Many people find that a few days in the office helps boost their mood whilst improving collaboration.

1. 1. Hub working

Hub working often refers to situations where a specific team work together as a resource to each other to improve collaboration and communication. One partner may work in an office in Preston, the other in Carlisle and another from home on the outskirts of Leeds.
The move to flexible working is likely to see this style of approach becoming more prevalent.

For most companies, the hybrid working method is likely to be the preferred option for both partners and employees.
Approximately 70% of employees want flexible working options to continue, while 65% require more time with teams.

Are There Benefits to New Working Styles?

Working from home, in a hybrid environment, or even as part of a flexible hub appears to have several benefits for today’s professionals. With fewer long commutes to worry about, time is saved in getting to and from the office and increased productivity has been documented consistently throughout the last two years.

On top of this, many studies are beginning to indicate hybrid and remote working can positively impact employee engagement satisfaction too.

The ability to work flexibly is something many job seekers have as a criterion before considering accepting an offer from a new employer. According to the Microsoft global work trends study, 40% of the worldwide workforce is now thinking about leaving their jobs in exchange for a career with more flexible options.

How to Implement New Work Styles

To ensure your business stays ahead of the latest trends, it’s critical to start looking at flexible working options that make the most sense for your team. Consider which roles are suitable for hybrid, remote, and hub work and which might require a more traditional schedule.

Hybrid working has multiple benefits, but it can be challenging if not planned correctly. For most businesses, the introduction of hybrid working will require a culture shift alongside new working methods.

We can learn lessons from working from home during the pandemic; however, hybrid working will make greater demands of managers and businesses on an ongoing basis.

People working in a distributed environment can easily suffer from feelings of isolation and disengagement. There’s also the additional concern of cyber security and compliance to think about when team members are working online from multiple environments.

Employers will need to:

• Consider their options: Look at the different working styles available and which ones are reasonably suited to your current employees.
• Provide training: Ensure professionals have the tools and training they need to continue providing excellent service in a remote or hybrid environment.
• Invest in constant optimisation: Use feedback from team members to constantly improve the hybrid or remote working strategy.

The recruiting team at Clayton Recruitment has been working with many local businesses to adapt their talent search and job specifications in line with increased demand from job seekers for flexible working.

If you would like a conversation about how we can support your particular business, do get in touch.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.
With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

If you would like to access our free guides, view them all here.

If like many other legal practices, you and your team are embarking on an unspecified work-from-home period, you might be wondering how best to approach it.

It might be the first time many of your finance team have adopted remote working practices – but this doesn’t need to be a barrier to success.

Your team can work just as efficiently from home.

In fact, as a business, you are in a great position. Many job roles are not as easily adapted to working from home, but with a few alterations, you can have a fully functioning remote finance team – here are the best-practice strategies to support your team through the transition.

1. The Right Equipment

First and foremost, it is essential that you provide your finance team with the items and equipment that they usually have at work. As an employer, you shouldn’t instruct your team to work from home and expect them to make the necessary arrangements.

This means recreating their usual workspace to the best of your ability – PCs, laptops, calendars, broadband and even their desk if necessary. The more you can make your finance team feel as though they are still ‘at work’, the less their productivity will suffer.

2. Checking In

Once your finance team are remotely set up and working from home, it is crucial to step-up the amount of contact you have with them.

It is more critical than ever right now to help your finance team feel connected to one another – a lack of connection in your team can reduce productivity (more on this below).

At least once a day, get together with your team on a conference call or a video link so that they can discuss and share any issues or positive news that they would typically share with their colleagues.

With Skype, Zoom, FaceTime and WhatsApp, it’s easier than ever to catch up with your team on video – there’s no reason for your finance employees to feel disconnected from the business and the rest of the team.

3. Changes With Clients

The COVID-19 situation has caused upheaval in many finance practices across the UK. Depending on your clients, there will have likely been challenges in your business brought about by the virus.

Have things changed with your clients? Are you having to re-visit clients or make fast changes to work that you thought was complete?

The change to the interest rate, an increase in card payments and the unexpected beginning or ending of contracts are all problems that are facing practices trying to help their clients adapt to the current situation.

Given these changes, you must spend extra time making sure your team know exactly where they are with clients. Offer extra help throughout this time and be prepared for changing situations with clients until things settle down.

4. Mental Health

Adapting to working from home can be challenging at first and coupled with the stresses of the coronavirus, this can make it even more difficult for employees to change.

Aware of how the current coronavirus situation has the potential to affect the nation’s mental health negatively, the NHS has produced a guide to helping you stay positive throughout the lockdown period which you can find here.

Looking out for your finance team’s mental health throughout this challenging situation will ultimately lead to a stronger team. Remember to have regular one-to-ones with your employees, even just sending a message telling them to contact you if they want a chat can be of significant help.

5. Helping Them Stay Productive

While some employees will find the deviation from the norm unsettling, recent studies suggest that for the right people, working from home can increase productivity levels.

In light of the recent increase in remote working, we have put together a guide to help employees be their most productive selves, which you can share with them (you can find it here).

Using the strategies I have outlined here, it is entirely possible that your finance team can continue to produce their best work while working from home.

Before You Go

We have been working closely with financial practices across the North West to help them through the challenging situation that COVID-19 has created.

Have your business needs changed recently, and should this be reflected in your recruitment efforts?

If you would like to discuss your recruitment priorities and find out how Clayton Recruitment can help, call us today on 01772 259 121 or contact us here.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Industrial, and Engineering appointments, on both a permanent and temporary basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to download our latest interview checklist, you can do so here.

March 2020 will be the first month that many people in the UK begin working from home on a scale that has never been witnessed before.

While the coronavirus has disrupted across the UK, you can be just as productive (if not more productive – more on this later) as you usually are.

The initial challenges that making a move to remote working throws up can be easily ironed out. And just as you quickly got into a routine in your current workplace, remote working is no different.

In the last 15 years, the number of people who work from home at least one day a week has increased by 35%. What might feel unusual for you at first is the norm for many, and it is entirely possible for you to settle into a working routine from your home.

In this blog, I will share my top tips to help employees maintain, and even increase, productivity when adapting to working from home for the first time.

1. Recreate Your Desk

While this might not be entirely possible, aim to recreate as much as you possibly can. You can even bring pictures from the wall, your same mug and mouse mat to help you feel in your work ‘zone’. Don’t work from your sofa (or your bed) under any circumstances – keep these as your ‘home’ areas.

2. Keep the Same Hours

This means getting to your desk at the same time, having your lunch and breaks at the same time and leaving at the time you usually do. Shower and get dressed just as you normally would do – and keep the same alarm to get up at your usual time.

3. Contact Your Colleagues and Manager More Than Normal

In the office, you might go nearly a day without speaking to your colleagues or manager if there is no reason for you to do so. Remote working means you are more likely to feel lonely or isolated, and this kills productivity.

Check-in regularly, even if there is no pressing reason to do so. Saying hello now and then via a message or email will help you to feel connected.

4. Connect on Video

Using video technology such as Skype, Zoom or WhatsApp is a must to keep productivity levels high.

It is much easier and faster to share ideas and advice over video calls with your colleagues and your manager than back and forwards via email – so bear this in mind if you come up against a problem you need a solution for.

5. Set Boundaries with Your Household

You need to have space where you can work uninterrupted. Much of the UK is now at home; so, I appreciate you might need to negotiate who works where – good luck with this.

Find a spot in your house to set up your workstation where you will not be distracted (a spare bedroom, less-used living space, conservatory, the loft etc.) and set boundaries with your family or housemates.

Explain that during the hours of 8-5, or 9-6 you are ‘at work’ and stick to it. Allow for family time before, at lunchtime and after work just like you would typically do.

6. Avoid Distractions

It should go without saying, but many people get tempted by their home comforts when they work from home. Don’t turn on the TV to keep up with the news, or your favourite music – it will only serve as a distraction.

However, scientific studies have found that a little bit of background noise can increase your productivity. There are many YouTube channels which focus on music for concentration or tune in to a relaxing radio station at a low level; both are workable ideas.

7. Embrace the Change

Finally, what I would like to say to those embarking on home working for the first time is – relish this opportunity!

While some people go into remote working concerned about productivity levels, this is actually a real chance for you to increase productivity and produce some of your best work. There is a good chance your home set-up will be quieter than your typical office, and you are likely to feel relaxed and safe at home – a great situation for your creativity and productivity to flourish!

Finally

The current situation in the UK for businesses is changing continually – has your working situation changed in light of the COVID-19 outbreak?

If so, and you’re looking for a change of employment – we can help.

We are looking for candidates right now for a variety of commercial roles across the North West. Contact us today on 01772 259 121 or using our contact form here.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Industrial, Engineering appointments, on both a permanent and temporary basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to download our latest interview checklist, you can do so here.