How to make flexible working simple for your SME

In our recent web chat on flexible and smart working practices, business leaders discussed how to maintain good communication and the importance of having a strategy in place.

What initial points should an SME consider?

Hannah Martin, founder, Talented Ladies Club

“Companies that do flexible working well work with each person [at the business] to define what they need, and tries to find the best solution. It's important for both sides to understand how success is measured so the employee can feel confident that they're delivering and the company is happy with them.

“It's also important to ensure that other employees understand the arrangement, and are happy with it, to prevent bad feelings – and that flexible workers are still visible within the company and have equal access to opportunities, promotions and so on.”

Jonathan Swan, head of research, Working Families

“By offering flexible working, SMEs can find people on whom they might otherwise miss out. For these businesses, it invariably goes back to having a business case for flexibility and having a clear reason for doing it.

“Align that with how your business works. One size doesn't fit all. It might well be that you can't offer everything, but that you can probably do something. Managed right, it will benefit both the business and employee.”

Sophie-Lovell Smith, business development manager, Bespoke HR

“If you’re considering a flexible working practice, ask the following questions: are you technology-enabled? Can people work successfully remotely? Can you still promote a team environment?

“You need to have trust, autonomy and excellent communication channels. Recruiting the right people is also key – are they used to this environment and can they work this way happily?”

How can SMEs run efficiently and accommodate flexible working patterns?

Rachel Ray, founder, Bright and Beautiful

“It depends how you define flexible working. If employees log in and out as it suits them, this can be hard to manage in some industries. Building trust is based on having clear deliverables and key performance indicators.

“I have certain teams – and people – who work flexibly from home, such as the marketing manager, but I know exactly what their results should look like. We also have guidance in our operating manual for franchisees who work from home. It covers everything from time management to home office set-up.”

Kellie Vincent, MBA director, Westminster Business School

“Building positive rapport with colleagues is, for many, a key component of being happy at work. Loneliness and isolation can become a potential downside of flexible working when the practice isn’t well managed.

“Sometimes when I’ve been working at home for a few days, I crave interaction with my peers and MBA participants. Finding technological solutions to ensure that we’re not completely off the radar is essential to enable a feeling of connectedness.”

Richard Skinner, product marketing manager, Samsung UK

“There are many apps out there that can help you feel connected if you're working remotely or from home. Instant messaging apps, video conferencing, collaborative document sharing/editing and so on. By their very nature, they afford you the opportunity to engage with your colleagues throughout the day.”

Every worker has the right to request flexible working – what’s the best way to approach a small business owner?

Ms Martin, Talented Ladies Club

“If you have a good relationship with your boss, speak to them informally first. Find out about their needs, as much as talking about yours, to hopefully find a solution that benefits both parties. It's an open dialogue, the aim of which is to find a creative solution that still meets the need of the business.”

Edward Relf, chief executive, Laundrapp

“If you change the rules for one person, then it's something that must be applicable to everyone across the business – unless there are specific circumstances that require an alternative approach.

"For good office culture, the same rules should apply from the chief executive right through the business.”

Are some industries more open to flexible working than others?

Mr Swan, Working Families

“Traditionally, you can find it in very tough sectors, such as care, cleaning and catering. There isn't much scope for location flex in these areas, but time flex is possible.

"There are some creative solutions in organisations that deliver on two fronts: they solve scheduling problems for the business, and they deliver the work-life balance that employees want.”

The web chat upon which this write-up is based was sponsored by Samsung. To read it in full, click here and scroll down to the comments section