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🌟 Flexibility is king, but is it here to stay? A recent survey reveals that 65% of employees rank workplace flexibility as their most desired benefit after a good salary. Yet, companies like Amazon are pulling back on hybrid policies, sparking debate on the future of flexible work. What’s your take: Is flexibility non-negotiable, or is a return to the office inevitable? 👉 Click to read how employees and employers are navigating this shifting landscape. https://lnkd.in/ddQwg6vG

New Research Challenges Return-to-Office Mandates: Flexibility Remains Key for Australian Workforce Key points: 89% of Australian organisations maintain work-from-home options. Mandated office attendance averages three days per week. Employees value flexibility over potential salary increases. Flexible work arrangements linked to improved workplace culture and diversity. The topic of staff returning to the office is still an ongoing issue as illustrated by this article from the Conversation which references the 2024 Employee Benefits Review by Mercer. The survey covered respondents from 502 Australian organisations across several sectors which revealed interesting findings such as 89% companie`s surveyed still offered work from home options which appears to be part of a larger commitment by companies to offer flexible working options. The scope of flexible working options available include extended leave periods and compressed work weeks and reflects a recognition that the work/life balance impacts on wellbeing and productivity. Another interesting finding from the research was that employees were prepared to forgo salary increases to have greater flexibility, which may cause employers to pause and consider how effective their incentives are when employees value having control over the work arrangements. To conclude, the evidence from this survey suggests that it would be a worthwhile exercise for employers to reconsider how they construct a meaningful and mutually beneficial to balance employer/employee needs in a changing work environment. #WorkplaceFlexibility #AustralianWorkforce #EmployeeRetention #WorkLifeBalance #FutureOfWork https://lnkd.in/gBq4DHzS

New Research Challenges Return-to-Office Mandates: Flexibility Remains Key for Australian Workforce Key points: 89% of Australian organisations maintain work-from-home options. Mandated office attendance averages three days per week. Employees value flexibility over potential salary increases. Flexible work arrangements linked to improved workplace culture and diversity. The topic of staff returning to the office is still an ongoing issue as illustrated by this article from the Conversation which references the 2024 Employee Benefits Review by Mercer. The survey covered respondents from 502 Australian organisations across several sectors which revealed interesting findings such as 89% companie`s surveyed still offered work from home options which appears to be part of a larger commitment by companies to offer flexible working options. The scope of flexible working options available include extended leave periods and compressed work weeks and reflects a recognition that the work/life balance impacts on wellbeing and productivity. Another interesting finding from the research was that employees were prepared to forgo salary increases to have greater flexibility, which may cause employers to pause and consider how effective their incentives are when employees value having control over the work arrangements. To conclude, the evidence from this survey suggests that it would be a worthwhile exercise for employers to reconsider how they construct a meaningful and mutually beneficial to balance employer/employee needs in a changing work environment. #WorkplaceFlexibility #AustralianWorkforce #EmployeeRetention #WorkLifeBalance #FutureOfWork https://lnkd.in/g28kCFGB

Flexible work arrangements are key to retaining staff, new research reveals, as companies push for their employees to return to the office. Consultancy firm Mercer's 2024 Employee Benefits Review found flexibility could contribute to a positive workplace culture, improve diversity and inclusion and broaden the talent pool, The Conversation Australia + NZ reports. The data showed 77% of organisations surveyed allow their employees to adjust their start and finish times and 5% allow staff to work four-day weeks at the same pay. Mercer's client engagement manager Don Enrhique Barrera said employers needed to find the balance between the needs of their employees and the overall business objectives in order to create a benefits strategy that delivered value to all. How have you benefitted from flexible work arrangements? Is it a deal breaker for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below. By Brendan Wong

The return-to-office debate is heating up, with some companies pushing for full-time attendance while others double down on the value of flexibility. Recent findings show 89% of Australian organisations still support hybrid work, with many offering options like adjusted hours or even four-day workweeks to enhance work-life balance and engagement. Interestingly, many employees are willing to forgo a pay rise in exchange for flexible arrangements, highlighting the shift in workplace priorities. When managed well, flexibility benefits everyone—helping attract and retain talent while fostering a positive workplace culture. How is your organisation adapting to these evolving expectations? https://lnkd.in/gMb4bsTg --- For more content from Accurate Background (Australia) and information about our employment screening services and how they can help you build a trusted workforce check out our Linktree here: https://lnkd.in/eGtSeC6p #talentacquisition #hr #peopleandculture #employmentscreening #recruitment #recruitmentlife #recruitmentaustralia

🔑 **Workplace Flexibility Is Key to Employee Retention!** In a world where flexibility often outweighs financial incentives, the latest research underscores the irrefutable value of a flexible work culture. According to Mercer's 2024 Employee Benefits Review, 89% of Australian companies still offer remote work options, with the typical mandate being three office days per week. This offers a significant insight, especially as major corporations like Amazon push for a full-time return to office.📊 Interestingly, this push for flexibility isn't limited to just where we work. Companies are getting creative by offering options like adjustable start and finish times, four-day workweeks (at full pay!), and even compressed working years. It's clear: flexibility is now a tool for attracting and retaining top talent, enhancing employee engagement, and fostering a positive workplace culture. For many employees, work-life balance trumps salary increases, with some even willing to take a pay cut for greater flexibility.🏠💼 What's the takeaway? As we navigate the evolving work landscape, companies must find a balance between business objectives and employee needs. Flexibility extends beyond just remote work—it encompasses career development, financial wellness programs, and much more. It's time to embrace flexibility as a key driver for a happy, productive workforce.🌟 #WorkplaceFlexibility #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork

#MondayInsights Working flexibly is not just about working from home, it's about when you work too as research by Personio shows that whilst there has been this shift to hybrid working, there has been less focus on flexibility of working hours. With some major employers mandating a return to the office on certain days, if employers are to attract and retain diverse talent we need to be thinking outside the box. This means being more focused on the demands of a role which will be specific to the individual and type of work about where, what and when work needs to be done allowing flexibility that meets the needs of the business and the employee. Consequences of not making flexible working work: - increased costs to replace someone because your organisation does not encourage flexible working. This costs money. - reduced employee morale thus impacting on productivity. This affects company's growth plans. - less likely to attract talent from undrerepresented groups. This affects your external reputation. Some top tips to make flexible working work: 📝 It starts with job design: consider how to make the role more flexible: how can we vs. why can’t we? Think of different types of flexible working. What might work for this role? 💻 Collect, monitor and report on uptake of flexible working. 📝 Survey existing workforce to understand working patterns, their needs 🗣️Raise awareness of different flexible working options 💚 Encourage senior managers to role model and champion flexible working- not just where but when too. ******************* Hello, I'm Victoria, DE&I Consultant, Helping HR and DE&I Directors transform workplace culture using the power of DE&I to be thriving, safe and inclusive places to work. I help them create a framework to kickstart and accelerate their DE&I journey, equip teams and leaders with the right behaviours and be a sounding board and co-pilot to busy HR peeps to navigate the complexities of DE&I in the workplace. Sign up to my newsletter for insights, news and upcoming events: https://lnkd.in/geX7sJeh https://lnkd.in/eZBssDSW

Forcing the Commute? Prepare to Lose Top Talent! As businesses continue to shape their post-pandemic workplace strategies, some are making the controversial move to enforce a full return to the office. While this approach might seem logical for maintaining team cohesion, it’s creating a backlash among employees and could lead to a drain of talent. One recent example is Amazon’s decision to mandate a five-day, in-office workweek starting in January 2025. The response from employees has been less than favorable. According to a survey conducted by Teamblind Inc., a staggering 91% of Amazon’s office-based employees expressed dissatisfaction with this decision. But it doesn’t stop there. The survey, which included over 2,500 Amazon employees, found that 80% knew colleagues who were contemplating leaving the company due to this mandate. Even more alarming, 32% reported knowing someone who had already quit because of the policy change. These numbers suggest that such a return-to-office directive could lead to a significant loss of talent for companies doubling down on in-office requirements. Dror Poleg, an economic historian and former tech executive, notes a troubling trend: “In the past two to three years, whenever companies want to trim their workforce, one of the first tactics they employ is to tighten their return-to-office rules.” In other words, it’s becoming a covert strategy for workforce reduction without explicit layoffs. With a tight labor market and employees prioritizing flexibility, companies forcing the commute risk more than just a few disgruntled workers—they may see their best and brightest heading for the exit. In a world where top talent is hard to find and even harder to keep, is pushing a rigid office policy worth the potential loss? For business leaders, the message is clear: flexibility isn’t a perk—it’s a necessity. Holding onto the belief that a full office return will restore pre-pandemic productivity levels could backfire, leading to higher turnover and diminished morale. As the debate continues, employers must ask themselves: Is it worth the risk of losing top talent to preserve old norms, or is it time to rethink the modern workplace? #smallbusiness #hr #groupbenefits

More and more companies are now starting to insist that employees return back to the workplace for at least part of the working week. But a new survey throws some doubt on the purpose behind the move. The research by Indeed shows that almost half of UK managers admit that a return to the office is more for show than for work reasons. Some 44% of managers and 55% of employees believe the push for teams to return to the office is less about productivity and more about maintaining appearances. At the same time, 57% of managers said they expected a full-time return to the office for employees within the next two years. And 56 per cent of managers admitted they favoured employees who came into the office more often, whilst 43% of employees were aware of this happening. A four-day working week is one arrangement that UK workers view positively. Eighty-two per cent of employers believe it could be implemented in their company within five years, and 67% of employees feel they could manage their workload in a shorter week. Danny Stacy, UK head of talent intelligence at Indeed, said: “Flexible working policies are an excellent tool for businesses looking to attract and retain top talent, given the importance that workers clearly place on working in a way that suits them. “What this looks like will differ between industries and individual businesses, but the good news for employers is that different forms of flexibility are gaining popularity. Not every business is able to offer remote work, for example, and could instead put into place a shortened work week or flexi-time. “Employees have made it clear in our research that business leaders set the tone for flexible working. Organisations who believe in flexibility and want to ingrain this in their culture must ensure that senior employees lead by example, so workers at all levels feel empowered to follow suit.” #workinglife #remoteworking #hrconsultancy

🔑 **Workplace Flexibility Is Key to Employee Retention!** In a world where flexibility often outweighs financial incentives, the latest research underscores the irrefutable value of a flexible work culture. According to Mercer's 2024 Employee Benefits Review, 89% of Australian companies still offer remote work options, with the typical mandate being three office days per week. This offers a significant insight, especially as major corporations like Amazon push for a full-time return to office.📊 Interestingly, this push for flexibility isn't limited to just where we work. Companies are getting creative by offering options like adjustable start and finish times, four-day workweeks (at full pay!), and even compressed working years. It's clear: flexibility is now a tool for attracting and retaining top talent, enhancing employee engagement, and fostering a positive workplace culture. For many employees, work-life balance trumps salary increases, with some even willing to take a pay cut for greater flexibility.🏠💼 What's the takeaway? As we navigate the evolving work landscape, companies must find a balance between business objectives and employee needs. Flexibility extends beyond just remote work—it encompasses career development, financial wellness programs, and much more. It's time to embrace flexibility as a key driver for a happy, productive workforce.🌟 #WorkplaceFlexibility #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork