So long nine to five

 

So long nine to five: how the idea of work-life balance has changed forever 

The pandemic has moved the conversation around flexible working forward by about 10 years, say experts. But where do we go from here? 

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We’ve come to know our colleagues a little better of late – their pets, their kids, their kitchens. The Covid-19 pandemic forced employers to rustle up the tools and mindset required for remote working in record time, and the resulting changes have prompted a collective rethink. Now, with many employees seeking long-term flexibility after experiencing a different way of working, we need to work out how best to combine working and living.

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“The pandemic has allowed us to shift the conversation around flexible working to a point that would otherwise have taken at least 10 years,” says organisational psychologist Dr Deirdre Anderson, a work-life balance expert at Cranfield School of Management. However, she stresses that as we consider future ways of working, organisations must consider all types of flexibility (flexi-time, compressed hours, job shares and so on), going beyond the current focus on how many days in the office versus home.

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“The boundaries of nine to five are long, long gone,” says Cecile Alper-Leroux, a workforce expert who’s speaking from a wood-beamed farmhouse kitchen in Provence, where the internet connection is decent and she’s opted to spend a month. She’s vice-president of human capital management (HCM) innovation at UKG, a leading global provider of HCM, payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management. “Employees can be more authentic, be themselves. The pandemic accelerated what was happening anyway.”

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But the flexibility afforded by technology hasn’t been entirely beneficial, says Alper-Leroux. Some remote workers are struggling to carve out boundaries, whether in time, space or in their heads. Headline after headline warns that burnout is rife and working hours have spiked. “Employers must help staff put life before work, or this level of burnout will continue,” says Alper-Leroux. “That’s why we need a shift to what we call life-work technology, which allows an awareness of people’s lives.People need to feel valued – and managers need to create a culture of belonging.”

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Anderson points out that blurred boundaries “make it very difficult to switch off the electronic leash”, and this is where skilful managers, with the ability to set out expectations, come into their own.

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“We need to remind organisations of the flexibility that existed prior to the pandemic, and then explore how to go beyond that, looking at job design to incorporate greater flexibility as an inherent part of a given role,” she says.

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The greater use of technology is part of that flexibility as it can allow staff to feel more engaged and to collaborate more easily. Online meetings have allowed more employees to be included – and remote working helps people who might feel marginalised in an office to be involved. “Research shows remote working is better for diversity and inclusion,” says Anderson.

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But will this shift make for a healthier work-life balance? According to Anderson, rather than seeking an artificial division, we should be looking at overall satisfaction, the ability to deal with the demands of work and of life outside work in the round. “It’s the ability to devote the time and energy you want to all those different elements,” she says.

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This is what Alper-Leroux means when she refers to “life-work”, rather than the more frequently used “work-life”. She explains life-work as “acknowledging you have a life and it’s not just about work”. 

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This is particularly pertinent for frontline staff who work hourly shifts and must be present to do their jobs. While they may not be able to benefit from remote working, it is possible for employers to provide them with some of the control they yearn for over their schedules, and greater flexibility. In the future, it may even be possible for them to undertake some aspects of their role remotely, such as training.

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This type of control and flexibility is something “organisations are going to have to get creative at offering”, says Alper-Leroux. And while technology won’t create flexibility alone, she adds, it can make a difference if well deployed.

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Staff at the train operator Greater Anglia are reaping the rewards of greater control over their working day, and more transparency, since the company introduced UKG Dimensions. This technology, which replaced an outdated legacy system, enables staff to sign on for shifts, view their shifts and track approvals of overtime owed.

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“That level of visibility is absolutely key for employees,” says Himesh Patel, Greater Anglia’s head of IT service delivery. And it’s a win-win for everyone, he adds, as managers find it easier to fill shifts and to organise the labyrinthine staffing logistics that keep trains running on time. “It’s so flexible and adaptable, we’ve been able to work with staff and unions to work on what is important for them to have visibility and ease of use.” 

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For Alper-Leroux, this may well be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to flexibility. She predicts that artificial intelligence could help tailor shifts around employee preferences, allowing, for instance, parents to specify that they want to pick up children on certain days.

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When technology is mentioned, staff can become concerned about digital surveillance, but she says: “Technology is not about monitoring staff – organisations have to communicate that better, or risk losing their best employees. If employers are trying to understand staff needs, and prompt them, say, when they are working too hard, it becomes about employees rather than the business. Organisations that protect their staff will get payback in loyalty, commitment and productivity.”

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Workers have won more choice, autonomy and authenticity since the pandemic, says Alper-Leroux, but the ball is now firmly in the employers’ court. “I’m optimistic because we’ve reached a tipping point where employees have found their voice and confidence. And leaders need to say: ‘We are going to continue to trust you.’”

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UKG delivers award-winning workforce management and HR service delivery solutions to help organisations across the globe drive better business outcomes, improve HR processes, and help make work a better, more connected experience for everyone. To find out how your organisation can benefit.