I’m sure most people would agree that there’s nothing worse than feeling as though you’re shackled to your office desk for eight hours a day, five days a week.
But imagine how great it would feel if your company decided to empower you and its employees by giving you the opportunity to work in a way that suits your lifestyle. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?
But, that’s where the ‘Smarter Working Initiative’ comes in.
This scheme was launched in 2016 and encourages businesses to allow their employees to work flexibly, from any location, at any time, for just one day. By doing this, it hopes to demonstrate that smarter working not only improves motivation and productivity, but also increases staff satisfaction and retention due to highlighting the importance of work-life balance.
Despite the fact that many employees consider their 9-5, office-based routine as outdated, only 25% of the UK’s workers have been offered more flexibility in their working patterns.
With this figure in mind, we were excited to discover that along with the likes of Red Driving School and Purplebricks.com, 3ManFactory are one of the 120+ companies who give their employees the freedom to work in a way that suits them.
Here’s how the 3ManFactory team spent their flexible working day:
Me! – Working from home
On an average Monday, I’d be up at the crack of dawn, waiting to cram into an overcrowded bus for my 30 minute commute. I’d then be sat at my desk with breakfast for some time in between my flexible 8-9am start time.
But yesterday, after a lovely lie-in, I felt refreshed and ready to begin work at 11am. What made this day even better, was that rather than leaving for the office, I leisurely strolled into my lounge and set up camp in the comfort of my own home.
At this point, I’d like to mention that I’m lucky enough to thoroughly enjoy coming into work at the 3ManFactory office, but I was surprised at just how easy working from home can be. It felt relaxed, yet I still kept on top of client projects, blog posts and social media updates – it really was a win-win situation!
James and Gem – Out of office
James and Gem had the exciting task of travelling to Cornwall for a business meeting during the Smarter Working Initiative day.
But in the spirit of things, the pair were able to work from home before arriving at Manchester Airport, and then continued preparing for their presentation in the airport business lounge.
On arriving at their hotel, they continued the hard work by catching up on emails and other client work; they’re the epitome of flexible working!
Tom and Nat – In the office
Not all of the 3ManFactory team tore themselves away from the factory floor yesterday.
Since Tom was hosting the Digital Lancashire board meeting, he made the most of the boardroom/creative office space that we’re fortunate to have upstairs.
With this in mind, not only are 3ManFactory an advocate for flexible working, but they’re also passionate about flexible workspace. Having the freedom to break-away from our desks and work in any part of the office is a luxury we experience all year round. From working on our sofas, to wearing slippers and sitting around the kitchen benches, 3ManFactory are undoubtedly a flexible employer.
3ManFactory Google Meet Meeting
Since the 3ManFactory team was scattered around the country, one of the ways we kept in touch was through Google Meet. As a business-friendly alternative to Google Hangouts, Meet allowed our team to schedule an online meeting, rather than solely relying on emails. Take a look at us in action, below:
As you can see, the Smarter Working Initiative was a surefire success for 3ManFactory, but don’t just take our word for it! 78% of the other businesses who signed up for this yearly event, pledged to continue offering flexible working.
So, could your company bend the rules and become more flexible?
