Before the pandemic, many companies were talking about work-life balance. There were attempts by some companies to even implement free time on Friday afternoons, where employees were able to leave earlier or enjoy some time together. With the covid-19 spread, Friday became for many of us the whole week, and in mandatory way. Flexible work was the way to overpass the issue of staying at home most of the time.
Flexibility motivates people to remain committed, focused and motivated in the company. This flexibility could mean working remotely, having flexible hours, or even having a sick day policy, as we do at Stellaxius. Below, find the summary of this article:
1. The remote way of working
In 2020 Mercer launched a study where 65% of participants admitted that the main factor in triggering remote work was due to the pandemic. However, 57% recognise the efficiency of this model, and 48% admit agility and mobility as factors that influence the adoption of flexible working. And already at this point, 91% considered this an essential element in retaining and attracting talent.
The pandemic has changed the world of work and the perception of companies and people of the benefits associated with flexible work policies.
2. Flexibility as a benefit
Flexibility at work is an increasingly important benefit when choosing the company where we want to be. First of all, it is essential to realise that flexibility does not concern only remote work but also flexible work hours and the flexibility and sensitivity of the company to show openness to issues in the personal lives of employees that may impact work at a specific time.
Companies should have the mission of setting an example and showing concern for balancing the personal and professional lives of those who are part of the business every day.
According to the OCDE, 10% of employees work 50 or more hours per workweek. In Portugal, we work 6% more per week than the established hours. The OCDE indicates an impact on personal health and increased stress.
Personal and professional life go hand in hand, and one influences the other. Human resources must seek to combat these impacts, encouraging flexible policies and realising this impact relationship of our two worlds: personal life and work.
When students think about the workplace, the demand and the search for a better quality of life start in college. They idealise when they enter the job market. Nova School of Business & Economics and BNP Paribas conducted a study called “Re-Imagining Work”, concluding that 86.4% of students prefer the hybrid work model.
3. How we do it at Stellaxius
Stellaxius has chosen to advocate a flexible work policy. How? With our remote-first policy, remote work is the default regarding our documentation, internal policies, and workflows. However, our employees can work where they want, in the office, at home or both.
At Stellaxius, we can choose where we want to work, but not only that, we also have a sick day-off policy for those who, due to illness, are absent from work for a period defined by the company, with no salary impact. Time flexibility is also something that characterises us. There is no impediment to leaving early or starting the day later because we have a personal commitment – the employee can adjust with the management team and manage the day to have flexibility.
As a company, the impact of these flexible policies is very positive, and we intend to maintain it.
Our objectives have been achieved in an exemplary manner, so there is no reduction in work capacity. This flexibility is also one of our most significant benefits in retaining and attracting talent. Undoubtedly, our turnover numbers speak for themselves.
Internally, we measure our “Happiness Score” through surveys in different areas, which currently stands at 74% on a scale from 0% to 100%, with Well-being being the highest-scoring group with 75%.
What we try to do every day at Stellaxius is to look carefully at the individual needs of our people and to promote a culture and work model that can adapt to everyone’s life and, at the same time, keep our business healthy. Business is people, and happy people positively impact any business. Now that you know much more about how we work, remember to see our open positions and subscribe to our Knowledge Center!
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