Managing Generation Flex

Meeting the needs of a flexible workforce means changing the way you manage it.

More and more, the prospect of flexibility in working hours to improve quality of life and achieve a better work-life balance is becoming a key motivator and consideration for employees. This includes spending less time in traffic, having more time with loved ones (particularly children), focusing on their health by having more time to visit the gym for example, and being allowed the freedom ‘self-manage’ and have creativity within their own productive spaces; amongst others.

The concept is known as Generation Flex, and in order for companies to attract and retain the best talent with the right skills in the market, this means shifting away from the old school mindset of “you can’t manage it if you can’t see it”. Employers will need to adopt more flexible working arrangements, whilst still managing their remote staff effectively to maintain a sense of ‘control’.

There is no specific cumulative data on the uptake and percentage of companies in South Africa who have adopted flexible working arrangements. However, as Recruitment Specialists dealing with various top clients in the South African market, we are noticing that the demand for flexibility is slowly being met by companies who are tailoring their offers in order to secure their talent.

So how do companies manage this flexible workforce to ensure that employees are still productive, motivated and relevant?

Tech, the true enabler