A flexible approach to work

This article featured in the October 2011 issue of the Hunter Business Review.

The adoption of flexible work practices is a growing trend within modern organisations, who find themselves under pressure to provide employees with the opportunity to achieve work-life balance.

Although some would view flexible working arrangements as the domain of working mothers or Gen-Y employees, the need to work in different places, at different times and on different tasks presents a challenge for most professionals.

The anticipated benefits of flexible work practices are well-know. From reduced impact on the environment to happier employees and greater staff retention, there seems little doubt that the freedom that comes from working flexibly benefits all parties.

At a practical level, there are a number of ways organisations can use technology to provide their staff with the resources needed to make the best use of their time in the office, while giving them the tools to work effectively away from the office.

Accessibility
Through the use of innovative technology such as Google Apps, staff can use powerful communication and collaboration tools to stay in touch with colleagues and clients. With Gmail, Google Calendar, and integrated Instant Messaging, employees can share files and collaborate in real-time, keeping versions organized and available wherever and whenever they work.

The affordability and accessibility of Smartphones means that you can now access your emails, documents, calendar and contacts while you’re on the move. For employees working remotely, this helps to stay in touch with colleagues and clients, while providing the functionality to access websites, upload documents and get directions to your next appointment.

Mobility
The convenience of technology such as iPad’s presents many opportunities to enhance working practices. While the iPad is not suited to writing lengthy documents, it is ideal to show a prospective client your portfolio or access documents during a business meeting. Not only does this cut down on the preparation time for most meetings, but using your iPad to take minutes will help reduce the administration time after the meeting.

Automation
Just because you’re not in the office or sitting in front of your laptop doesn’t mean that you can’t be communicating with your clients. The use of automation can help to maximise the time you have available, while ensuring your message is delivered at an appropriate time. Tools such as Tweetdeck and Wordpress have the functionality to post tweets or blog posts at pre-determined times. Similarly, Survey Monkey’s electronic survey tool can be set to email a select list of contacts at a nominated time. These tools can help you stay in touch with your clients and maintain an online presence, while working at times that suit you.

The future of flexible working practices
It would seem that the notion of the traditional full-time, single employer career is behind us. Instead, we now have the opportunity and resources to create the work-life balance that has eluded us in the past. Fortunately, the increasing need to work flexibly is being well facilitated by the rapid development of mobile technologies. In most cases, this technology presents as a cost-effective and user-friendly option to help businesses and individuals enhance their productivity and embrace flexible working practices.

Alison Hough is the Operations Manager at Myrtec, a Newcastle-based IT consulting practice focused on helping businesses achieve their goals through the use of technology. Alison can be contacted via alison.hough@myrtec.com.au.