Flexible working is the best way to boost productivity, according to HR professionals.
In a survey conducted by HR recruiter Ortus, 96% of the 570 respondents said flexible working would boost day to day productivity in their companies, with 59% saying working from home would also have an impact.
Yet while HR professionals place high value on flexible working, employees rank it as only the sixth most important benefit, behind 25 days holiday and a company pension.
Stephen Menko, director of Ortus UK, said: “Allowing people to work around their lives rather than the other way around is easier today with access to smartphones, the internet and emails meaning flexible working practices are easier to achieve for organisations with little cost. However, the case for flexible working clearly still needs to be made to employers and employees alike if it is to become the norm.”
Health and wellbeing were also rated highly, with 63% saying the provision of healthy food and drink and 52% saying regular gym breaks during working hours would help raise productivity.
Fewer meetings and four day weeks also scored well in the survey (56% and 48% respectively). Meditation time (22%), social media breaks (15%) and afternoon naps (11%) were also suggested.
In total 70% of the HR professionals questioned said their companies would be open to taking some of these steps.
Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanclarkdesign/
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