Workshifting – Yes, No or Tolerated?
Monday, August 22nd, 2011 Evan Kaplan, CEOAs a CEO, I like to see our employees. Maybe it’s my extroverted nature. I feel energized when I stop by and see engineering folks in the daily scrum and I like talking to our sales people face to face about deals they are working on. I don’t think I am alone … from my discussions with other CEO’s I think lots of us feel the same.
When I was single with no kids there weren’t any constraints around being in the office. But as my family has grown I really have come to appreciate the value of logging on later at night after the kids are asleep, or being able to just send out that one edit from vacation before my wife catches me.
For me the growth in my family has come at roughly the same time as the dramatic rise in mobile networks, services and devices and increasingly I have to rethink my views on the practice of workshifting (flexible work schedules that enable employees to work wherever and whenever they want — It is our business after all!) and the tremendous reach and flexibility that this rise has afforded me and my family.
We published our quarterly mobility report today and the data for enterprise workers is clear …. Workshifting has now become the expectation of nearly all enterprise employees. In our latest iPass Mobile Workforce Report we found that although 95 percent stated their employers encouraged or tolerated workshifting—40 percent would like to have an even more flexible work environment.
And if they aren’t getting enough flexibility at work, 33 percent would seek employment elsewhere, 57 percent would be less satisfied with their job, and 45 percent would feel less productive. We should take note—if we don’t provide the flexibility today’s mobile employees feel entitled to—they will seek out those companies who do allow them the freedom to work when and where they choose.
Employee turnover is a significant expense for any company, but it is hardly a reason to loosen up the reigns and let our employees workshift en masse. What we’ve found is that if your enterprise can successfully embrace workshifting, your employees will reward you many times over with deeper loyalty, improved productivity, and let’s not forget—greater profitability. Let’s look at the evidence:
- Mobile employees work more hours. In fact 75 percent of those surveyed claim to work more hours due to workshifting — more than half work at least 10 or more additional hours each week, and 12 percent work 20 or more additional hours.
- Mobile employees are on demand. They work around the clock, 38 percent work before their commute, 25 percent work during their commute, 37 percent work during lunch, and 37 percent work at night — each and every day. Even on vacation, 97 percent stay connected to technology and nearly all did so at least partly for work.
- Mobile employees feel more productive and efficient. 79 percent reported increased productivity and 78 percent reported increased efficiency.
- Employees who workshift report improved work/life balance and more than half feel more relaxed because of the flexibility.
And I won’t deny that it’s still very important for me to see folks in the office. I continue to believe employees can thrive in a collaborative office culture that engenders inspiration, competition and a drive to succeed and that some very important work has to be done face to face ….. But I keep in mind that nearly three quarters of mobile workers are in the office most days, choosing times that work around their team, meetings and home life schedules. If my employees spend less time commuting and more time focused on creating stuff and delivering on their commitments, it’s truly a win-win.
Mobile Workforce Report, August 23, 2011 >>
Infographic: The 24 Hour Workshift is Upon Us, August 23, 2011 >>
