Flexible work is the dream of 85% of working parents
Reconciling work and family life is the dream of many parents, who complain of lack of sleep and not having time to be with their children. To measure the pulse of this reality, the Regus company has carried out an investigation to find out what the parents think of coworking or flexible work.
The Regus survey suggests that parents dream that their companies start offering more flexible work options so they can spend more time with the family. Specifically, according to the survey, 85% of working parents prefer the possibility of working flexibly before other benefits. In addition, 81% of respondents believe that the greatest benefit they can obtain is a better balance between work and personal life.
Spaces of coworking for flexible work
The flexible workspace, also known as coworking, offers professionals a space to work without having to travel to the office and without having to stay at home, where they could be exposed to distractions and may not have adequate space to work. The increase of flexible workspaces means that people have more and more access to these locations, wherever they are.
Among the main advantages of flexible work is the possibility of not moving to the office and working closer to home. Thus, 71% of the parents surveyed said that they would take advantage of the time they lost with traveling to be with the family, while 38% believed that they needed it for themselves, take a long shower or stay with friends.
In addition, 96% of working parents think they would work for a company that offers flexible work as part of a benefits package, and 74% think they would be willing to accept a different job if it offered a variety of work locations.
Tips to get the most out of flexible options
Moving to flexible work can make a difference in the quality of life of parents. Philippe Jiménez, Country Manager of Regus in Spain, states: "The pace of modern work makes it difficult to manage the balance between life and work for all, but parents in particular face a problem in ensuring that family and work coexist in harmony The flexible workspace offers parents a solution that allows them to reduce travel time to work and a flexible schedule that adapts to personal commitments The number of parents who express an interest in the benefits offered flexible work is increasing, which suggests that companies should expect more parents to apply for this when seeking a new position. "
These tips can help you if you want to make the change:
1. Negotiate with the company: Convincing the company to offer flexible work should not be a problem, even if the company does not offer it yet. Analyze the possibility of changing a benefit that you may not use for the flexible option, or elaborate a new schedule. According to the Regus study, working parents indicated that they are willing to take their lunchtime to work (85%) or lose other benefits such as signing up to the company gym (85%) to adopt flexible work.
2. Think with creativity about the location: Travel time to work does not necessarily refer to the time spent traveling from the front door to the office. Thanks to the proliferation of flexible and coworking spaces, available in more locations than ever, we prefer to be closer to a school or daycare center, or close to a client to whom we have to move regularly. Flexible work can make this change possible.
3. Goodbye presentism: The flexible workspace is related to a completely new era that, thanks to new technologies, allows employees flexibility. For many parents, a schedule of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. does not coincide with that of their children. To get the most out of flexible work, let's look at the possibility of adapting the schedule to go to work and finish later, or where we start working before and finish earlier. Or, if it is possible for us, let's forget the schedule and focus on giving results.
4. Flexible work when necessary: Is not the change to a flexible full-time job possible? Maybe we have the possibility of having an option available in an emergency, such as a problem at the daycare center or a very tight schedule. It is not necessary to use the flexible workspace every day, but it is good to know that when necessary, you can use it.
Philippe Jiménez. Regus Country Manager in Spain
