I completed a survey about health at work and it started me thinking…
I completed a survey about health at work and one of the questions was about working hours. It started me thinking about how organisations help or hinder their workforce in the name of doing what they think is best for them.
The organisation says you’re only to work 9 to 5, and shouldn’t work outside those hours. It does so because it doesn’t want staff to become overworked and suffer the consequences such as stress. Their idea of flexible working is allowing people to start between 8 and 10am and then finish between 4 and 6pm.
But I do my best creative thinking late at night, so if the organisation wants me to do my best work (which I want to do) then it should accept and agree to me working as and when I think is best.
Organisations should allow their staff more flexibility to get the best out of them, and allow them the freedom to decide for themselves how and when to work, rather than attempt to control them by encouraging to stick to rigid working patterns that are good for the organisation rather than being good for the staff. Give people the responsibility for their own well being. Supporting them to work in the best way for them means they’ll do better work for the organisation.