So, you like the idea of offering agile working to your team.
What do you need to be aware of, before going ahead?
Firstly, you need to plan out what cover you need in the business. It’s unlikely that it is practical for everyone to leave at 2.30 for example, so you need to ensure you will have cover across the working day.
This doesn’t mean someone has to physically be sitting in your offices, but it does mean the phone needs to be answered professionally – not by someone on their mobile in the middle of the supermarket!
Consider a job share approach – where people overlap their hours to ensure the office is covered during the hours you need.
Understand your customers’ needs – it may be that your customers would value the opportunity to talk outside of core hours – for example earlier in the morning or in the evening. We discovered this was an attractive option for our clients.
Set the ground rules – establish people’s working habits, so you know when they will be working. Agree the hours and the way they will operate – so you both know what to expect.
Create the right environment – if you are going to offer flexible space in the office make sure people from the same teams can sit together wherever possible. If you expect them to “hot desk” give them somewhere to keep information. Make sure there is ready access to stationery and full functioning equipment.
Working from home – there are potential savings for you to have people working from home, but that doesn’t mean scrimping on setting it up correctly. Make sure they can access work files from anywhere by using a server or cloud storage. Give them a work email account, and the equipment they need to do their job effectively. Make sure there are people available for support – IT, admin etc to get everything sorted and running smoothly.
Check in with people – working from home or anywhere remote from the main office can be lonely, and doesn’t suit everyone. Make sure people are OK, and staying motivated. Make any adjustments that are needed to keep everything on track.
Review regularly – talk to your team about how effectively agile working has been implemented. What challenges are they facing? Is there anything you need to tweak to improve performance?
Team time – if people are working remotely it is essential you get them all together regularly to talk and maintain relationships. It will avoid feelings of isolation and help them to get up to speed on what is happening in the business.
If you would like help with implementing an agile approach in your business, please contact us on 01256 328 428.