Government is planning to allow all UK employees to request a flexible working arrangement from their first day at a new employer. If this goes any ahead, it could be another blunder that makes life more difficult for employers.
I have top-level contacts in many organisations, and to understand their needs and challenges I regularly meet up and ask questions like “what keeps you up at night?” and “what really gets your goat?”
It helps for tailoring my Sentinel MC services, but, occasionally, when they build a picture of a common issue, the answers inspire an article. This is not a popular one to write about, but it’s so common to board members, it must be highlighted.
Employers are struggling because if they ask for a return to the office, people are ready to resign. They worry about losing team cohesion. They find it harder to see their people interact, which prevents them from offering individual support and identifying those who are demonstrating personal leadership. Furthermore, they are interpreted as failing in diversity and inclusion (D&I) when they raise the issue.
Flexible working is an expectation of newer generations, as made clear at the recent D&I in Grocery LIVE! event. Business leaders meeting Gen Z challenges worry further that these will be the managers of Gen Alpha, who hit the workforce in five years from now.
Leaders want to embrace all aspects of D&I, they really do, but they can’t make decisions that don’t pay out at least in the medium term. And they don’t agree with the Mary Portas comment “if you have a business with D&I at the heart of it, it is more profitable”. Employers in the grocery industry require predictable availability and this mismatch is complicating hiring and retention.
My 24-year-old son asked some friends of mine for career advice. Whilst some referenced work-life balance, the most successful captain of industry just told him to work harder than everyone else.
I’m not sure it’s changed. Although mature businesses get pushback for requiring office work, I’ve noticed that if a 25-year-old hotshot boss in a young, dynamic organisation asks for the same thing, they are in there like a shot, eyeballs out, ready to learn and competing for career progression.
Individuals should reflect. If you’re demanding flexible hours and home working, then you are limiting your own opportunity to shine. That’s fine if you’re not ambitious or just plain average. But you may also be creating a barrier to the efficient operation of the business that employs you – and that’s not fine.
A government encouraging this way of working puts me in mind of the Greek economy’s downfall, where relaxed working practices, generous benefits, and early retirement underpinned with job security led to complacency with no incentives for high performance.
So, Sir Starmer, before moving forward, recognise the noise you are pandering to is just that of the people who won’t make it. Meanwhile, you make it difficult for those who will.
Source: The Grocer
Image Editorial credit: monkeybusiness / elements.envato.com
