Employers adopt flexible work models for multiple reasons:
- Lockdown: Mandatory quarantines and self-isolation are still in flux, and employers need to accommodate an ever-changing sea of public concern in order to reduce the impact on their business.
- Family and wellness: Employees need flexibility to care for themselves, children and elderly dependents which can be complicated when schools or daycare facilities are closed or on lockdown.
- Social distancing. State and local reactions to urgent situations may require social distancing tactics. Employers and even landlord restrictions can compound the need to accommodate social distancing requirements that limit the number of people in a closed area or in groups of a specific size.
- High risk. Some employees contend with high risk conditions and would rather avoid social contact for a longer duration. Others may embrace a philosophy that places them at odds with an employer’s vaccination requirements. In either case, employees are looking for flexibility to work from a safe location while maintaining productivity.
- Benefits. Jobseekers expect flexibility and employers who don’t offer it may have difficulty competing for talent. In our post-COVID atmosphere, flexible working conditions are a common point of discussion during interviews.
With flexible work environments come new challenges. Two big challenges in flexible work environments are how to manage schedules for employees, and how to track time across multiple dynamic locations.
An employer’s ability to track time and attendance in a hybrid work environment with this many moving parts is critical. Time and attendance is a key area that needs special attention in a hybrid environment. Critical systems including payroll, staffing and compliance are all reliant on scheduling your workforce and measuring hours worked. Call 941 Payroll today at (877) 941-9419.
