Trust employees to work flexibly and watch productivity blossom

Flexible working is a tricky issue to get right. It’s easy to tell employees that they have multiple options for how they work, but putting the methodology into practice throws up a few obstacles.   

Speaking to HR Grapevine, Caroline Griffiths, Head of Human Resources at Cisco UK&I, discusses Cisco’s approach to flexible working:  “We start from a trusting position; people aren’t micromanaged and are able to determine their own working practices to suit their personal needs. 

“This means having managers who don’t constantly ask where you are and what you’re doing - they focus instead on what you’ve achieved and what you’re delivering. It’s important that this ethic is driven from the top, so that all managers and employees alike know that this is the culture is echoed across the entire organisation, and feel that they are in control of their own work load.”

Employees who feel in control of their own work, and are able to make decisions that impact themselves directly, feel a stronger sense of fulfilment and are happier at work.