Workplace Trends for 2014: Flexibility in Everything – 1 of 4

Each year, -after reading lots of articles so you don’t have to- I come up with what I consider the most interesting workplace trends forecasted for the coming year. Over the next few weeks we’ll discuss my top picks:

Flexibility rules. Why “flexibility” continues to dominate the conversation about benefits.

Changing demographics. What about all those boomers retiring, and all those millennials coming into the workforce?

Freelancing continues. Why non-traditional employment has become the new normal for many workers.

Evolving performance evaluations. With technology, evaluations will become faster, more frequent and data driven.

So let’s get started with “flexibility”, which has become ubiquitous in any discussion about benefits and what employees value most. As is the case with consumers who want to have choices and are less interested in one-size-fits-all services or products, employees are also looking for more flexibility from their employers.

Initially, flexibility meant giving employees leeway about when and where they could get their jobs done. This usually meant flexibility in scheduling and choices about telecommuting. Sometimes it also extended to choices about taking time off -even without pay- to pursue personal goals, or travel dreams.

But “flexibility” has now evolved to include that and more, like customized benefit plans for individual needs and even choosing the type of work relationship desired. And this broader flexibility is being used as an effective tool in recruiting and retention.

An example that perfectly illustrates this trend is the Career page for the giant Price Waterhouse Coopers’ website, where they equate flexibility with culture. “We understand that a culture of flexibility is at the heart of work/life quality for our people. We also recognize that to perform at their best, people need to recharge themselves—“.

Then under Benefits, they continue the theme “we offer a comprehensive, flexible, and market-competitive benefits program”. What if you don’t want to work for them full-time? No problem, join their “Flexibility Talent Network: an attractive option” for individuals who want to work a few months of the year.

So what’s the take away for employers? To attract and retain the best talent try offering as big a dose of flexibility as your business will allow.

Next week: Changing Demographics: How about those boomers and millennials?