Flexible working makes for more committed workers

Managers who provide their staff with a flexible workplace will be rewarded with greater commitment from their workers, new research shows.

The study, conducted by Wake Forest University School of Medicine, found that flexible working also reduces the number of illness-related absences.

Dr Joseph G Grzywacz, author of the report, said: "This study provides evidence that flexibility is associated with health or wellbeing over time.

"For managers, the results suggest that implementing flexible work arrangements can contribute to the bottom line."

He added that the results give more weight to the belief that promoting flexibility in the workplace has health benefits for workers.

Dr Grzywacz suggested that firms might want to offer different working arrangements such as homeworking or flexitime.

Training managers and supervisors to be supportive of workers and their lives outside of the office will also help, he concluded.

A study by Right Corecare found that managers who encourage their staff to work long hours could be damaging the health and morale of their workforce.

Source: i-L-M.com