Brits would turn down a pay rise for flexible working opportunities

Most British workers have admitted that they are more motivated by the chance to work from home than they are by bonuses and pay rises, according to new studies by HSBC. The study looked into what kicks the country into gear as we begin to wind down for the year, and discovered that the biggest productivity boost a company can give is the option for flexible working.

Nine in 10 employees admitted to working harder when offered flexible working, compared to just 77% of Brits who believe they’re at their best when offered financial incentives. The country has faced resistance to the idea of remote working ever since the right to request it became law in 2014, with specialists urging companies to rethink their employee benefits packages.

Just one in 10 jobs with salaries of more than £20k have advertised themselves with the option to work flexibly this year, according to findings that revealed the demand is only going to grow. 69%, nearly three quarters of younger workers want to work from home, with the concept considered particularly popular with the parents of young children, minimising costs on childcare and travel.

“In most companies, the technology is in place to enable people to work as effectively from home and the benefits speak for themselves,” said specialist Adrian Lewis, Director of Activ Absence. “To operate flexible working effectively, managers need visibility of where people are working, the ability to set up meetings remotely and ensure that when people say they are working remotely, they are as available as they are when in the office.”

Many have raised their concerns that businesses could suffer from an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ thought process, but with the right thought and implementation, specialists believe companies could see a major impact on income.

“Companies therefore don’t just need flexible working policies, flexible working needs to be embedded in the culture,” continued Lewis. “It is a highly prized benefit that can help make companies become an employer of choice. Given this, why are some companies reluctant to embrace it?”