Overcome flexibility fears by using peers

I was reassured to see the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) draw attention to the benefits of introducing flexible working, and in particular the notion that they far outweigh the so-called negatives (‘CIPD disputes CBI claim that flexible working harms business’ (Personnel Today.com, 12 September)).

All too often, businesses are stuck between a rock and a hard place. They know that potentially they can reap great rewards by introducing flexible working practices such as creating a more motivated workforce who perform better and are less stressed, but they don’t know where to start.

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It takes time to fine tune new initiatives and get the right processes and tools in place, as well as maintain business as usual. But establishing flexible working needn’t be a burden and taking the leap of faith doesn’t necessarily have to be something a business does alone. For instance, seeking advice from supportive organisations such as the CIPD and companies that have already adopted flexible working can be useful in learning from their successes and mistakes. That way, companies might stand a greater chance of achieving their growth ambitions and retaining the staff they are scared to lose.

Duncan Miller
Channel marketing manager
Inter-Tel