Employers also benefit from having a larger team of flexi-work employees. The cost of having a larger headcount may be lower than the lost revenue that results from unfilled shifts. Employers would also have an easier time finding substitutes for rostered staff who fall ill or have last-minute emergencies.
Multiple shifts of a flexi-time and flexi-load workforce allow for longer business operating hours every workday – this means higher potential revenue-earning capacity.
Accommodating employees’ flexi-work requests could create loyalty that translates into lower turnover, which also means lower hiring costs. Fewer hours would be wasted repeatedly onboarding and training replacement hires.
SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE FLEXI-WORK
Implementing flexi-work benefits employees and employers. The Singapore government has been providing support for companies – such as Workforce Singapore’s job redesign grant – so job roles can be reworked from the ground up to accommodate flexi-work arrangements.
There are also various technologies that businesses can utilise to support flexi-work operations for deskless workers. Examples include rostering software for businesses to plan and manage the schedules of their staff, and mobile learning platforms for staff training.
Employers and employees have a symbiotic relationship. Without employees, there is nobody to do the work; without employers, there is no job to begin with. It is never “us” vs “them”.
Flexi-work for every worker, whether deskbound or deskless, not only makes for a more inclusive Singapore, but is also good for business.
James Chia is Co-Founder & CEO of ArcLab, a workforce mobile training platform.
