Flexible working is on the rise

We’ve spoken in great depth about flexible working in recent weeks. In fact, research we produced in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) found that more than half (55%) of qualified accountants are motivated by flexibility and a greater work-life balance when considering a new job role, up from 37% the year prior.

The CIMA 2016 salary insights report also found that the number of respondents motivated by flexible working practices now outnumbers those driven by remuneration, this significant shift is illustrative of the changing nature of accountancy roles - it is certainly no longer an archetypal nine to five career.

The ‘always on’ culture, created by significant technological advancements in recent years, means that achieving a healthy work life balance is becoming increasingly important for professionals. However the same technological advancements have also enabled professionals to work remotely by increasing the ease at which they can communicate with colleagues and clients.While the definition of ‘flexible working’ can differ significantly from organisation to organisation, and while it typically includes enabling employees to work outside of traditional office hours, it can also involve working remotely - either from home or a ‘third’ space - or taking a longer break in the middle of the day and then logging on again later in the evening. Differences between definitions of flexible working are to a certain degree related to the nature of different sectors. For example creative industries, such as media and advertising, are far more likely to offer remote working, because the technology required to do so is already heavily imbedded in their working practices. However that’s not to suggest that other sectors won’t follow their lead.It’s fair to say there are no real clear cut standards but there is perhaps more scope to work flexibly if you are in an in-house role rather than working in public practice. If you're in an accountancy firm you're working to somebody else's deadline, whereas in an in-house position, you are more likely to be engaged with setting your own deadlines. This, of course, makes flexible working and work life integration easier to manage.Though many employers have been quick to adopt staggered starts and offer flexibility around working hours, few are embracing flexible working in its entirety. However as good talent becomes increasingly short in supply, organisations are becoming ever more aware of the need to be competitive in order to secure the best skills. Although candidates don't yet expect flexible working as a given, it’s likely that as a greater number of millennials enter the workforce it may begin to become a deciding factor between employers and slow adopters - particularly when it comes to the opportunity to work remotely - will ultimately risk missing out on the best people.