A survey
has found that the UK's small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
are realising the benefits that flexible working policies can have
upon their organisations.
The top line
finding of the YouGov survey for BT Business indicated that
flexible working policies are a valued employee benefit, with more
than 37% of men and 34% of women saying they would be willing to
give up part of their next pay rise if they could work from
home.
The findings also
indicate that SME directors clearly recognise that flexible working
policies can positively impact their organisation, with 65% citing
staff motivation and 50% citing increased productivity as key
reasons to adopt them. The research also showed that 59% of SMEs
directors believe they are as able as large organisations to
embrace a flexible working culture.
Beatriz
Butsana-Sita, head of marketing at BT Business, says, "Flexible
working has previously been considered as a large company issue,
yet the adoption of converged technology has seen a surge in
flexible working practices and aspirations among [SMEs].
“More than a third
of SMEs have already migrated to a converged voice and data network
and at an early stage improved productivity (52%) and increased
organisational flexibility (39%) are cited amongst the top three
benefits. The traditional nine to five, Monday to Friday routine
with the same people in the same offices looks more and more
out-of-date.
“We need to be
careful though how we use this technology. Making effective and
productive use of our time is essential, not only to gain
competitive advantage but also to help maintain a positive balance
in our lives."