The rise of “work-life balance” resulted in the most varied flexibility schemes within companies, including those linked to working times and telecommuting, to gradual comebacks after licenses. These policies are increasingly important in attracting a retaining talent in positions that are key for the business. However, they may not be effective without a genuine plan approved by the organizational culture.

“Developing and implementing flexibility policies is more complex than promoting a specific action. It involves thinking the labor world from a different perspective regarding time and space, understanding that the productivity of an executive is not always linked to the number of hours he/she works or his/her presence in the office, but to the accomplishment of goals”, analized Brenda Barán, Partner and Director at Glue Eis Executive Search.

Camila Kring, the Danish creator of the Life Navigation method, says that “traditional working schemes need to be tore down, as they stop us from improving productivity and life quality, such as the idea that tells us that those who are not at the office are not working, or that we need to work 8 hours a day to be productive (…) this includes making a real cultural change within the organization and in order to achieve that, we need the support of the top management”.

Her method suggests improving work-life balance considering the biological rhythms of people, considering time, goals, rhythms and spaces. It seeks to create flexible working cultures that adapt to people, such as considering the time of the day in which every person has a better performance.

The method is based in gaining awareness and control of time, establishing personal and labor goals, and, finally, understanding at what time of the day you are more active and productive to enhance it the most.

It also requires identifying what is the best space to develop an activity. Those companies that have implemented the method, increased the staff’s satisfaction regarding work-life balance from 39% to 95%. They also cut down staff turnover from 31% to 10% and became more attractive companies, as unrequested resumes received grew 300% to Glue.

“Even though not every director’s position in every area is compatible with every kind of flexibility, the truth is that today, thanks to the advances of technology, it is not necessary to be on-site to make decisions. An executive can provide an immediate answer and make decisions wherever he/she is by using a mobile device that is connected to the internet”, said Barán.

“This makes work more dynamic and provides the executive with the chance of generating a better work-life balance. Companies that dare to change the way they consider work, will be the ones that manage to attract and retain top talent” said Barán

Source: IProfesional