Flexibility at Workplace: How to be more flexible at work

In a world where technology is increasingly more present than ever, a good way to differentiate yourself in the workplace is through soft skills – simply put, ways/abilities of doing things, not specific to any job, such as communication, teamwork, resilience, flexibility and adaptability, often termed as transferable or interpersonal skills.

Resilience and flexibility is so important in the modern workplace that the World Economic Forum has listed it as one of the top 10 skills that employees will require for the future of work. 

As technology improves it is causing a sea change in the kind of work people are required for. While automation might be able to complete tasks faster and more accurately than humans, it is more difficult for machines to learn. So there is a growing need for employees to use their soft skills including flexibility to help their organisation maintain its competitive edge. 

Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces have undergone massive changes in their ways of working – from remote employees to the loss of important clients/contracts, changes on the day-to-day in the office have demanded that employees are more and more ready to react accordingly and adapt to such changes.

It is highly likely you have already experienced some form of change in your career to date. Research from the UK showed 74% of employees have undergone some form of restructure. Being able to, not just tolerate but thrive in a changing working environment will make you a valued employee.  You are open to learning new things, taking on new challenges and adjusting to suit an evolving work environment. 

The best thing to do to demonstrate you flexibility at work is always making yourself available and supportive, promoting a sense of unity and mutual support within the team.

Being part of a team that supports each other in tough situations enables you to be more adaptable when challenges arise.  To cultivate a supportive work environment, aid your colleagues when you have the capacity, by, for example, taking on some of their tasks, covering a shift, or training them on an unfamiliar system.

The good news on flexibility at work is it is a skill that can be learned and improved upon.  If you feel flexibility is something you would like to focus on there are a number of steps you can take:

The more skills you have the less threatening changes to your role or within your industry are likely to feel. Improve your flexibility by staying up to date with industry trends and innovations. 

Getting closer to people/tasks you normally wouldn’t deal with is a good place to start. This will help you develop your problem solving skills and emphasize teamwork, opening yourself up to learning opportunities from your colleagues while improving your own skills, as well as building relationships. Also, a lot of the soft skills you use in the workplace rely on the relationship you have with other employees and managers.

You may believe that optimism is a trait we have or we don’t. To a certain degree science backs this up, there are brain markers that distinguish optimistic and pessimistic thinkers. That said, science also shows there are things you can do to become more optimistic if you struggle with negative thoughts:

• When something good happens, dwell on it and give yourself credit for making it happen
• Focus on your strengths and the other positive events they could lead to
• Minimize negative events while still owning mistakes if they happen 

Training your brain in this way can help with flexibility at work as you view change more positively. 

When a situation changes suddenly it can be stressful and you may begin to feel anxious. Teaching yourself methods of staying calm in difficult situations can help when it comes to facing change at work. Some easy tools for staying calm include: 

• Taking a few minutes to focus on your breath
• Going for a walk 
• Taking a few minutes to focus on what you can see, hear and touch around you 

To encourage flexibility, many workplaces are reciprocating by enabling their workforce to work in a way and at a time that works best for them. The aim is to help employees better balance their personal and professional lives. Having flexible hours has been proven to help improve productivity and has the potential to increase an employee's job satisfaction.

The best example of this globally is the number of businesses embracing hybrid working post pandemic. This allows employees to combine the convenience of working from home with the requirement of working with colleagues in an office environment. 

• Flex time:
  Flexible start and finish times which is useful if you have caring responsibilities or are more productive at certain times of the day.
• Reduced hours/Part-time:
  Working less time across a week.
• Compressed work week:
  Working the same hours but in fewer days over a week. For example, working forty hours over four days instead of five.