by Brianna Crandall — April 20, 2016—Telecommunications provider Vodafone revealed in recent weeks the results of its “Flexible: Friend or Foe?” study, which found that 75% of companies worldwide have introduced flexible working policies to enable employees to vary their hours and use the latest technologies to work remotely.
The survey of 8,000 business professionals (employers and employees) across three continents also revealed that 58% of companies in the United States that have introduced flexible working have seen increased profits since its implementation.
The “Flexible: Friend or Foe?” study, conducted online by Morar Research, drew on responses from small and medium-sized businesses, public sector organizations, and multinational corporations (MNCs) in 10 countries: Germany, India, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, the U.K. and the USA, as well as the territory of Hong Kong.
Respondents stated – to a striking extent – that they believed performance had been enhanced as a result of flexible working:
- 61% of respondents globally said their company’s profits increased;
- 83% reported an improvement in productivity; and
- 58% believe that flexible working policies have had a positive impact on their organization’s reputation.
The rapid adoption of high-speed mobile data services, fixed-line broadband and cloud services is playing an integral role in this workplace revolution: 61% of respondents now use their home broadband service to access work applications, and 24% use a mobile data connection via their smartphone, tablet or laptop with broadband dongle.
U.S. companies lead in adoption, although barriers still exist
Of the 10 countries surveyed, the United States was the leading adopter of flexible working, with 82% of responding organizations stating they have implemented flexible working policies. Benefits realized include:
- 58% of U.S. companies saw increased profits after implementing flexible working.
- 86% of U.S. companies that have implemented flexible working have seen an increase in employee productivity.
- Teamwork has improved in 61% of U.S. organizations utilizing flexible working.
- 60% of U.S. workers leverage flexible working to improve work / life balance.
- Staff morale has increased in 77% of these organizations.
Vodafone’s survey also explored why 20% of respondents globally said their organization had not yet implemented a flexible working policy. Specifically in the United States:
- 43% of U.S. companies that have not implemented flexible working have not done so due to fears that employee teamwork will decline.
- More than 50% of U.S. employees feel they do not have a usable flexible policy in place at their job.
- 44% of U.S. employees do not currently use enterprise social networking – a tool that would play a major role in flexible working.
Vodafone Americas President Chuck Pol commented:
Vodafone’s research highlights a significant shift in the modern workplace. More than ever before, U.S. employers are telling us that flexible working boosts profits, while their employees tell us they’re more productive. At the core of this trend are the new technologies that are reshaping every sector, from high-speed mobile data networks and fixed-line broadband to the latest collaborative cloud services and video conferencing capabilities. These findings prove we have entered an era where work is what you do, not where you go.
The full survey findings appear in Vodafone’s Guide to Flexible Working e-book, available on the company’s Web site.
Vodafone, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. The company has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 57 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of December 31, 2015, Vodafone had 461 million mobile customers and 13 million fixed broadband customers.
