A global shift and changed attitude towards flexible working has meant that many workers are able to better balance their lives while demonstrating a proven increase in productivity. Despite this, businesses have begun to push back. Take major companies like Google and Lloyds Bank, who have taken tougher stances and are clamping down on a return to the office.

The recent Flexible Working Bill, a new piece of legislation enacted on the 20th of July this year, gives employees in England, Scotland, and Wales greater power to request flexible working. However, it falls short of making flexibility the default option.

Radical flexibility: A paradigm shift

What's needed is radical flexibility, which Gartner describes as giving flexibility not just when and where employees work, but also with whom, on what, and how much. This not only helps employees feel autonomous but fuels performance. Business leaders should reframe flexibility around a person's identity, life experiences, motivations, and challenges to ensure employees feel understood and valued.

This can be achieved by emphasising three fundamental principles: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. It involves providing clear guidance aligned with business objectives. Through this approach, you'll elevate your team to exceptional levels and foster innovation within their respective roles.

The Flexible Working Bill: What it offers

Before I get into the way I see business leaders should do things, let's clarify what the bill offers. Under the new law – which is expected to come into force in 2024 – employees will gain the right to make two flexible-working requests within any 12-month period. Previously, they could only make one, with employers required to consult with employees before rejecting the request. Workers will also have the right to request flexible working from day one of a new job.

The employer decision period will be reduced from three months to two months, and the requirement for employers to explain the impact on the organisation if they switched to flexible working will be removed.

Evidence for the benefits of flexibility

The case for flexibility speaks for itself, and the numbers don't lie. Gartner found that when organisations deliver radical flexibility, compared with delivering flexibility only around when and where employees work, the percentage of employees defined as high performers increases by 40%. This is because it provides employees with a sense of autonomy and massively reduces burnout, a killer for productivity and engagement.

Research shows that flexible workers experience greater job satisfaction, commitment, and increased discretionary effort compared to non-flexible workers. It also lowers absence rates, aids in managing health conditions, and supports mental well-being. Additionally, flexible work options appeal to employees and new hires, aligning with evolving job expectations and demographic shifts towards balancing work and other responsibilities.

It's all too easy to presume that flexibility will only work for one job or industry, but that isn't the case, as both corporate and non-corporate employees want and receive similar rates of flexibility. This is why a blanket approach won't work; whatever industry you're in, you need to look at your employees as individuals and work around that.

Fostering autonomy, mastery, and purpose

In his book, Drive, Daniel Pink reveals that humans desire autonomy (the right to have a say in their own destiny); mastery (the opportunity to get better at new skills), and purpose (the chance to work on something truly transformational to make the world a better place).

When these conditions are met, not only will you have a much more engaged team that wouldn't dream of quitting – never mind quietly quitting – but you'll also get the best out of the enthusiastic and creative people that you hired in the first place.

The Freedom-Clarity Matrix for Effective Implementation

A freedom-clarity matrix illustrates the relationship between employee autonomy and their understanding of business objectives.

When employees have high freedom and high clarity, meaning they are clear on business objectives, it cultivates high engagement and productivity. Granting high freedom without providing clarity can lead to chaos, while low freedom with high clarity may result in robotic behaviour under micromanagement. The most detrimental scenario occurs when both freedom and clarity are low, leading to apathy and "quiet quitters."

Establishing a culture of high freedom and high clarity requires supporting managers in transitioning from task assigners to coaches. Managers focus on day-to-day operations and performance, while coaches focus on helping team members reach their full potential.

Coaching relationships are built on collaboration, trust, and rapport, rather than hierarchical structures seen in managerial contexts. This approach keeps employees motivated and engaged, as they can envision a clear path for advancement and personal development.

The Flexible Working Bill is a step toward recognising the importance of flexible work arrangements. However, for true transformation, organisations need to go beyond legal compliance and embrace radical flexibility that aligns with employees' identities, motivations, and needs. By fostering autonomy, mastery, and purpose while maintaining clarity, businesses can unlock the full potential of their workforce.

Jeff Dewing is CEO of Cloudfm.