The Office Space-esque version of the nine-to-five is a construct of the past. No longer do cubicle-confined worker bees time their commutes to arrive at 9 a.m. on the dot; even donning a suit and tie in the workplace is becoming more and more passé. And with 2017 looming, top talent is more selective than ever before when it comes to prioritizing workplace flexibility.
This isn’t to say that today’s workforce is lazy, or even that they’re working fewer hours. In fact, a Gallup poll from 2014 found that the average "40-hour" workweek is actually more like 47 hours. Globalization, increased connectivity and the advent of tools like Slack not only keep employees in contact — they keep them on the clock. This is where flexibility comes into play: employees may be more willing to accept the new norm of “work-life integration” if the perks are enticing enough. And more than a couple smart employers are rising to the challenge.
WFH = the new norm
More and more employers are jumping on the remote work bandwagon: Even if it’s just giving employees the flexibility to work from home one day a week or several weeks out of the year. In fact, an overwhelming majority of the professionals — on both the employee and the HR side — surveyed for this article mentioned working remotely as not just a perk, but the new normal.
"Millennials in particular subscribe to the belief that flexible work schedules make you happier," says Emily Moyer, the head of admissions for Remote Year, a startup that combines work and travel for professionals who are able to do their jobs while on the go. "So they’re choosing lifestyles that lead to greater balance, working with companies whose values align with their own. They want to live a life of purpose."
ADP’s
2016 Employee Engagement Study confirmed this sentiment: Millennials do tend to rank flexibility as a significant factor when weighing employment priorities. Though compensation and benefits still rank highly among the top drivers of employee engagement, flexibility consistently comes in third place.
A company that’s willing to allow its employees even temporary sabbaticals to pursue activities that may be complementary – though not always directly intertwined with – their day jobs is also more likely to keep burnout at bay.
Source - Mashable