Work happens in Brains not offices!

Smart Working ‘pioneers’ are creating a competitive advantage in their markets, and the gap between these bold forerunners and those businesses that are lagging is set to grow wider over the next couple of years. Virgin Media Digital Insights Data reports that the percentage of businesses enabling employees flexible/remote has risen to 61% in 2017.

Some business benefits are obvious.  Reduced overhead, cost savings from less office space, a wider talent pool because you are not just restricted to those on your doorstep, 24/7 coverage and the like, but there are other reasons to begin looking at this gem of a concept right now.

A recent report by Grant Thornton describes how Robotics will be used in the future to perform routine and repetitive processes that are usually undertaken by back office and front office employees – driving down costs, improving efficiency and compliance and leaving the human workforce to focus on the high-value tasks.  Enter stage right the need for Knowledge Workers!

Work happens in Brains – not offices!

Knowledge workers are people whose job involves working with their minds, handling or using information.  Their ideas for new products, research, interpretations, and findings will keep the economy and society evolving and give your business competitive advantage.

Small wonder that the strategist that you employed last year and required to spend five days a week tethered to email, in an office where a pin could be heard to drop, suddenly did a runner.

Take Malware Tech, the 22-year-old blogger who is credited with stopping the cyber-attack on the NHS and others. I cannot for one moment believe that he was doing a planned shift in an office.  In fact, I read that he was out having lunch with a friend when the news broke. He’s apparently a keen surfer who lives in the south west and tweets about what a beautiful view he’s got!

Brainy workers are set to become a premium talent in the new world of work, and it is they that will influence the agenda for remote and flexible working.  If you are not offering it, then you’re going to attract second rate candidates who will put up with the drudgery of commuting.

A Knowledge Worker’s whole DNA is built around curiosity, a constant desire to learn more and their inquisitive nature does not always sit well with an 8-hour stint in an office.  It is these people who will drive the need for the work life balance that remote working so beautifully delivers.

Managing Performance

When working with businesses who are considering introducing flexible working, I am often asked how the remote working pioneers are dealing with managing the performance of workers.

I can furnish you with all the policies, coaching and remote worker infrastructure tips that will help deliver a sound home working infrastructure to various types of flexible workers, including knowledge workers.  However, whichever role we are discussing in the end……

The answer is Trust.

Your business may already know the worker, their strengths, weaknesses, their personal circumstances and you may be happy for them to work remotely.  Alternatively, it is down to recruiting the right person.

There is a veritable plethora of talent out there ready to help your business grow.  Parents of young families, disabled men and women, retired experts and employees who are very simply happier working from home, thanks to greater flexibility and less travel time

So, how do we tap into the growing army of talent who want home working?  How do we ensure that they are the right fit?

The Perfect Match

This becomes a matching process, and it is about finding recruitment technology that can match your vacancy with the right knowledge worker, effectively and efficiently. The right person with the right skills at the right time – just like in the good old days. The best news is that tech is already here!  Abodoo

Mind the Gap

Your business faces threats and risks if you fail to move ahead with home working. Now it is time to avoid the widening gap between your business and the Pioneers who are already gaining competitive advantage from their bold strategy.

Whether you employ customer service advisers, IT experts, product developers or high-value knowledge workers, Ruth can help you implement home working and reap tremendous benefits.  Call now for a chat about your requirements 0797 650 9551 or email rg@thechangedirectors.co.uk