"Flexible work can mean different things to different companies; the key is being transparent with your employees and new hires."
That's what I learnt speaking with Adam Horne, CoFounder of Open Org.
"We can't judge companies on which flexible policies they should or should not adopt, as every company is different and has a different way of working. Some companies work very well remotely; others need to be in the office regularly."
"But the key is being completely transparent about what you expect from them and the flexibility you offer. That way, prospective hires can choose based on what works for them. You can't claim to be flexible just to give you an edge in the hiring market but then require rigid working locations and times when they join.
"The best way to do this is to have an open employee handbook (template in the comments below) that sets out all your expectations and policies so that every employee joins with their eyes wide open.
Of course, if you can offer flexibility, you should do, says Adam.
"When businesses offer their employees the flexibility to structure their working life around their personal life, I've seen marked increase in employee happiness, productivity and empowerment by feeling that they are trusted."
"Of course, there are challenges: effective communication and onboarding and training new hires. But they can be solved by focusing on asynchronous communication - using tools like Loom and Slack and having a documented single source of truth for the business that everyone can refer to."
So, when you are crafting your flexible policies, remember to communicate them clearly to both your team and prospective hires.
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