WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
We have spoken in the past about the importance of maintaining a feasible work/life balance and how important a reasonable balance is for the mental health and wellbeing of both employees and employers alike. Whether you are still working your way up the career ladder or have reached the peak already, the maintenance of a healthy work/life balance is what ultimately helps you to reach your goals. With a busy season for business and customers alike fast approaching, we thought it wise to discuss the modern day phenomenon crucial to a happy and healthy workplace: workplace flexibility. Now, don’t panic, we aren’t going to ask you to unroll that dusty yoga mat before January 1st. Rather, we will be speaking of ways in which the workplace itself can contribute to a healthier and happier home life.
As both our working and our home lives become increasingly busy and filled with integral conflict it is important to create flexibility where possible. In these modern times, maintaining flexibility is becoming increasingly easy as it is possible to be connected 24-7 (which is, of course an issue for another day).
From a business point of view, it is beneficial to the company to ensure that its employees are satisfied and happy on a daily basis which, as we have previously discovered is essential to maintaining a functional workplace. The inclusion of alternative working styles is important to maintain a good balance. Working remotely has become one of the most popular methods of gaining flexibility in the workplace and one which has seeped into most modern lives as few among us are innocent of checking our working email from home on our phones.
Maintaining flexibility in the workplace has been proven to increase productivity as the interconnectedness of our modern offices can combine differing work types or schedules at once whilst working from home reduces time and effort spent battling the daily traffic. Meanwhile skype and other video call platforms have allowed for meetings and hiring interview processes to become more immediate as we no longer need wait for a face to face meeting. Technology has now begun to redefine the workplace as well as how we communicate, and Irish companies are beginning to harness this new power through video and instant messaging as well as file sharing.
To conclude, a happy workforce is a productive one, and modern life allows for greater flexibility in the manner in which we work. A work/life balance has never been more important to the Irish workplace as our busy schedules create a time-poor workforce, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs have been quoted as saying that
“Family-friendly working arrangements can play an important role in any overall pay and benefits package.”
This can be easily harnessed by employers to create a new working environment which will be increasingly productive as a result.
Should you require any help, advice or guidance on any business or financial matters, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at DCA Accountants where we will be happy to help.
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~ DCA PARTNERS, DECLAN DOLAN & EAMONN GARVEY
