A third (31%) of LinkedIn users say flexible work arrangements are a critical consideration when choosing a job. That’s a third of candidates who might turn down an offer if companies don’t offer flexibility. Companies that offer remote work care most about what team members produce–not whether they’re in the same room together. And they trust their employees to do their best work even if no one’s looking over their shoulders. Below are five companies that have benefitted from having a remote culture.
Appen, the №1 company hiring for remote workers, is an Australian technology company that helps organizations develop machine learning and artificial intelligence products. It currently employs 350 full-time employees with flexible work options spread out across seven countries, and over one million global contractors who are 100% remote. What Appen found was that while the team liked the flexibility, it could sometimes leave them feeling isolated. To combat this, the company set out to create a more connected, collaborative culture. In 2017, Appen started investing in different tools that could make this possible, like video conferencing, instant messaging, and document collaboration solutions. It also built an internal community forum where employees can do everything from troubleshooting common issues to chatting and getting to know one another. “Flexibility is a key part of our culture and contributes to effectively operating a growing global business, attracting talent, and meeting the needs of our clients,” says Kerri Reynolds, SVP or recruiting and HR at Appen. In one year, Appen’s attrition rate dropped by 5%. Today, 80% of the company’s core workforce say they’re satisfied with their jobs.
Dell, a major computer company, embraced technology wholeheartedly when it began building its flexible work culture in 2009. Dell made this move after realizing that flexibility was something its employees truly valued. Since many employees sometimes need or prefer to work outside of standard business hours, Dell wanted to ensure that everyone felt comfortable and supported working where and when they choose, depending on their unique work style. “Work is what you do and not a place you go,” says Mohammed Chahdi, director of global human resources at Dell. “Our value proposition is clear and simple: To enable our team members to do their best work regardless of where and when.” The program has been an enormous success, with nearly 60% of employees working flexibly and reporting a Net Promoter Score that’s typically 20% higher than those who don’t. And with fewer people in the office every day, Dell doesn’t need as much office space — netting the company $12 million in annual savings since 2014.
Zapier is an automation tool that connects your favorite web apps, such as Gmail, Slack, MailChimp, and over 750 more. The Zapier team of (currently) 80 people is spread across 13 countries. Zapier CEO and co-founder Wade Foster explains why the company chose to be entirely distributed, without any headquarters: “It’s a better way to work. It allows us to hire smart people no matter where in the world, and it gives those people hours back in their day to spend with friends and family. We save money on office space and all the hassles that come with that. A lot of people are more productive in a remote setting, though it does require some more discipline too.” Zapier employees keep connected daily with Slack for group chat, Google Docs, and Hackpad for documentation, Trello for project management, Zoom for video conferencing, and an internal blog for team updates.
When Sodexo, the French food and facilities company first introduced its “Flexibility Works!” initiative back in 2008, employees had to submit a formal proposal to ask for the option to work flexibly. But Sodexo soon realized that a rigid policy like that didn’t match the goals of work flexibility. Instead, it introduced a new initiative called FLOW (Flexibility Optimizes Work). This practice allows employees to work with their managers on an individual basis to craft flexible work options that meet their unique needs and according to specific local requirements. In Belgium, for example, managers encourage their employees to come in late, leave early, then work from home. This means no one has to face the dreaded rush-hour commute. And in India, thanks to options like half-time work and the ability to take up to two years’ unpaid family leave, the number of women working for the brand has dramatically increased. “It’s about creating an inclusive culture where each individual’s needs are being met along the way, so long as the work gets done,” says Jodi Davidson, director of D&I initiatives at Sodexo. Like many employees, Jodi feels tremendously loyal to the company, thanks to these options.
Humana, a U.S. healthcare company, believes in being flexible for its customers, and it takes the same approach with its staff. In 2016, it overhauled its remote work policies and began to champion the benefits of work flexibility. Staff responded enthusiastically, with nearly half working at least some of the time remotely. There was just one problem: The call center team couldn’t benefit from these policies because calls could only be recorded at their desks. After some research, it launched a pilot program in 2018 that equipped call center employees with new at-home technology that enabled remote work. The call center team could suddenly enjoy the same perks as everyone else, and the company could save on desk space by replacing its assigned seating structure with a more flexible, shared workspace. By making its flexible work policies more robust and inclusive, it can easily attract great candidates and doesn’t have to rely solely on local talent.
Work flexibility is one of the biggest talent trends this year. And as these examples prove, these policies don’t just cater to employee demand. Done correctly, they can offer considerable benefits to the company too — from increasing productivity to helping them attract the best talent. If you are considering switching to a remote career, this is a definite sign that you are moving in the right direction.
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