Trust and discipline in flexible working arrangements

Bev Katigbak, an experienced HR Advisor at our sister company, HR At Work, brings over a decade of expertise in human resources to tackle a crucial topic: trust and discipline in flexible working.

In today’s evolving workplace, Bev understands that fostering flexibility requires more than just offering remote options – it’s about cultivating trust and maintaining discipline to ensure productivity and accountability. With her insights, you’ll learn how to create policies that empower employees and ensure your organisation thrives through a balanced approach to flexibility.

As the workplace evolves, flexible working arrangements are becoming a key feature of modern employment practices. These arrangements, whether remote working, flexible hours, or compressed working hours, offer employees the opportunity to balance work and their personal lives.

However, the success of flexible working hinges on two critical factors: trust and discipline.

Employers and employees must navigate these factors carefully to ensure that flexible working arrangements are practical and sustainable.

Building trust through clear guidelines

Trust is the foundation of any successful flexible working arrangement, and it begins with well-crafted policies and procedures. Clear and transparent guidelines help to establish trust between you and your people by ensuring that both parties understand their responsibilities and expectations.

You should start by developing comprehensive flexible working policies that outline eligibility criteria, considering current legislation, application processes, timescales, and approval procedures. These policies should be transparent and easily accessible to all employees.

Additionally, procedures for communication and collaboration should be established to maintain trust within teams. The risk of miscommunication or isolation can be higher in a flexible working environment.

To mitigate this, consider implementing tools and platforms that facilitate regular check-ins, team meetings, and project updates. Clear communication channels help maintain alignment and ensure that everyone remains on the same page, further reinforcing trust among team members.

Fostering discipline for success

While trust is crucial, discipline is equally important in ensuring that flexible working arrangements are effective and sustainable. You need to approach flexible working requests with an open mindset, balancing the individual’s needs with the business’s operational requirements.

You must assess the feasibility of the request with discipline and fairness, ensuring that each flexible working request is considered independently. When looking at requests, consider the nature of the job, the employee’s role, and the team’s needs.

Once a request is deemed feasible, work with the individual to create a disciplined, structured, flexible working plan. This plan should address critical factors such as work hours, location, communication methods, and performance expectations. Employees need to know that while flexible working offers more autonomy, it comes with the expectation that they will continue to deliver results.

Performance metrics should be clearly defined, and regular reviews should be conducted to ensure employees meet expectations. It may also include a trial period during which the arrangement can be assessed and adjusted.

Flexible working support

Supporting flexible working also involves providing your team with the tools and resources to maintain productivity. This may include access to technology, training on remote collaboration tools, or guidance on time management.

Try to foster a culture of discipline, where your team is encouraged to manage their time effectively, meet their work commitments, and enjoy the benefits of flexible working. This discipline should also extend to you as an employer to ensure you aren’t contacting employees outside their working hours.

Regular feedback and communication are essential in maintaining discipline within flexible working arrangements. Check in with your people periodically to discuss challenges or successes and ensure that the arrangement continues to meet both of your needs.

In conclusion, trust and discipline are crucial in successfully implementing flexible working arrangements. By embedding trust in the policies and procedures and fostering discipline in supporting flexible working requests, you can create a work environment that is both flexible and productive.

This balanced approach ensures that individuals can enjoy the benefits of flexibility while maintaining the high standards required for business success.