A white paper published by recruitment agency Robert Walters has revealed that four in ten professionals say that they would reject a job offer if it lacked flexible working hours.
With 40% of professionals noting that flexible working hours are a must for their role, only one third of companies in Australia say that they promote flexible hours when hiring new staff.
Another key finding showed that 88% of jobseekers are more likely to consider a role that includes flexible working hours, showing the importance flexibility plays on the job market.
With insurance suffering from a talent gap, offering flexible hours could be a way to differentiate your business and attract the best employees as James Nicholson, managing director of Robert Walters Australia and New Zealand, noted
“Organisations have sometimes seen flexible working as an employee perk, overlooking the link between the ‘loyalty gains’ generated and increased productivity levels,” Nicholson said.
“This approach also runs counter to a number of increasingly influential societal trends – a rise in the number of mothers returning to full time employment, the rebalancing of childcare responsibilities and an ageing population – all of which have pushed flexible working to the top of the jobseeker agenda.
“Flexible working is not only beneficial for wellbeing, commitment and efficiency in the workplace; it also lends a competitive edge to your recruitment strategies.
“Key to successful implementation is a culture of openness and consensus on measuring outcomes and success, so buy-in from the board level down is essential.”
The white paper also found that 64% of employers feel that flexible working hours can improve employee loyalty but just 26% noted that flexibility leads to productivity gains.
81% of employees noted that flexible start and end times were the most desirable aspects of flexibility followed by the ability to work from home with 64% and compressed work weeks with 47%.
