R


emote work policies can help to solve the talent crisis, bring in fresh and independent thinking and widen diversity. They can also lead to increased employment rates for people


with disabilities, those who have caring responsibilities, are neurodivergent or have specific requirements, or who want to have an improved work-life balance. For companies looking to increase their diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), supporting hybrid working can be an important tool. Yet while many companies with global brands and


employees in locations around the world have embraced the remote working opportunity, others have begun to encourage or mandate that staff should return to the office. Google has asked staff to return to face to face working three days a week, while Salesforce is trying to persuade employees back to the office with a promise to make charitable donations for each office attendance. This is at odds with companies like Spotify, which has chosen to embrace fully the new working freedoms that came with the pandemic. “In a skills-short market, it’s important that employers


dedicate time to their talent attraction and retention strategies, and acknowledge what professionals prioritise most today,” says Yvonne Smyth, director at Hays specialising in HR. “According to our 2023 Salary Guide, the majority of employees (85%) believe an organisation’s purpose is important when considering a new role, so employers ought to clarify and communicate their purpose throughout the recruitment process and beyond.” She says one of the key considerations for attracting


and retaining talent today is flexibility. “Our latest research shows that over half (56%) of


professionals say their preferred way of working is hybrid. Flexitime is similarly appealing for employees today, as 76% would be tempted to move to an organisation that offered greater autonomy in the hours they choose to work.”


SHOULD YOU LET YOUR STAFF WORK ANYWHERE, ANY TIME? The champions of remote working emphasise how flexibility enables employers to access a wider and more representative talent pool and that fully embracing flexibility can pay dividends. They argue that giving people agency over their own working hours empowers them and benefits the company as well. But should employers let anyone work anywhere?


Jeff Dewing, founder and CEO of Cloud FM, a global facilities management company, says there is “no time watching” at his organisation, because people are completely free to set their own working hours and location. “People get to manage their own lives and they are


not constrained,” he says. “The moment you constrain somebody, you’re taking a big chunk of them away. As a result, we have no problem attracting people. It’s not about the salary we pay. Instead, people are buying into the freedom and the ability to be creative and try new things and push the boundaries and come out of their comfort zone.” Ben Marks, founder of #WorkAnywhere, has


personally experienced the benefits of being able to work from home during the pandemic. He says that what is needed is a cultural change where remote work is seen as normal. “Remote work allows you to access a global distributed


workforce and you don’t need to just recruit from one local employment market,” he says. “The freedom to work remotely is a great tool for recruitment and retention, particularly for Gen Z and Millennials. Look at Spotify where encouraging remote work has increased diversity and lowered staff turnover within 18 months.” Ben sees the launch of Spotify’s Work From Anywhere


Programme in March 2021 to 6,500-plus employees around the globe as a groundbreaking development,


15


THINK GLOBAL PEOPLE REMOTE WORKING


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78