Workers are Willing to Move Jobs for Flexible Hours
Earlier this week research revealed that commuting to work each day stresses out women far more than man. The stress of commuting has been likened to that of flying a fighter aircraft, so it's perhaps not surprising that employees value flexible working quite as much as they do.
Last year a Price Waterhouse Cooper survey revealed that many employees value flexible working more than they do a financial bonus. Now, research from iPass has revealed that as many as 1/3 of employees are actively seeking a new job at an employer that offers better flexible working than their current employer.
The iPass Mobile Workforce Report shows 95% of employers allow employees to work remotely via laptops and mobile devices. However, 40% of the 3,100 employees surveyed worldwide wanted employers to provide more flexible working conditions. A total of 33% would consider looking for employment elsewhere in search of better mobile working benefits.
Barbara Nelson, CTO at iPass, said
"Enterprises should note, if they don't provide the flexibility today's mobile employees feel entitled to, their employees will seek out those companies who do allow them the freedom to work when and where they choose."
She added: "Employee turnover is a significant expense for any company. The cost to rehire a third of your workforce would clearly cause most companies to fail. This is an important finding that enterprises should consider when making their strategic mobility decisions."
The survey also revealed that people are increasingly likely to want to disconnect from their technology, to stop it taking over their social lives as well as their work lives. This is especially important considering recent research has revealed that using the same technology at home and work can lead to a distinct blurring of the lines between work and social lives.
"The top reason given for disconnecting was to spend more time with their families. It appears that the mobile workforce is finally getting a better grip on their work/life balance," said Nelson.
"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," she said.
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