When the pandemic gave people the opportunity to work from home, it accelerated a growing desire for job flexibility. However, what began as a solution to keep white-collar office workers productive now appeals to more of the workforce. Both blue and grey-collar workers are catching on and demanding flexibility at work.
Historically, flexibility for non-office roles seemed hard to imagine, even to the workers themselves. However, this view is shifting. Our latest Workmonitor Pulse survey reveals that two-fifths of blue-collar workers (42%) and close to half of grey-collar workers (48%) deem flexibility at work as important, or more important, than pay. This isn’t far off from the 54 percent in white-collar roles who feel the same.
As talent scarcity for non-office roles continues to grow, offering flexibility can help you attract and retain top talent. To start, explore more about this growing trend:
what does flexibility look like?
Recently, the term job flexibility was most often synonymous with remote work. But if non-office workers can’t work remotely, what exactly are they asking for?
Our latest survey shows that the type of flexibility most requested differs between roles. For example, while white-collar workers are more likely to value location flexibility (50%), blue and grey-collar workers tend to prioritize flexibility around their schedule and number of hours worked.
why do they want it?
The reasons flexibility appeals to non-office workers are similar to those given by employees in more traditional office roles. They include a desire for more time with loved ones, the opportunity for rest and relaxation and a chance to improve their health and fitness.
What’s more, a lack of flexibility may force employees to use their sick days for personal needs and responsibilities. Our survey shows that 41 percent of grey collar and 34 percent of blue-collar talent have done this at some point in their career. This practice can lead to loss of productivity and burnout on the job.
but are they getting it?
Despite growing interest, the majority of non-office workers have yet to see an increase in flexibility since the pandemic. Comparatively, just over half (52%) of white-collar workers report more flexibility over the same time frame.
What’s more, our survey shows that just over a third of blue-collar (31%) and grey-collar (33%) workers don’t think their employer is trying hard enough to provide flexibility at work.
now is the time to offer flexibility
Given the sentiments among today’s workforce, offering flexibility to non-office workers is not just good business, it’s imperative. In fact, our survey reveals that a substantial amount of workers are willing to make a change if their demands aren’t prioritized.
