It may be monotonous to talk about flexible working patterns in preparation for the Olympics, but some businesses still aren’t making their protocol clear.

I talked last month about how many employees are willing to take unauthorised time off to watch high profile events, with only 22 per cent of workers thinking their organisation is prepared for disruption brought about by Games.

Bearing in mind that only 9 per cent of employees have received communication on flexible working policies for this time, it’s clear that managers need to do more to communicate what is and isn’t allowed in regards to working patterns.  

It does seem well worth the effort to implement a flexible working plan. Darren Beggan, head of professional services at Excalibur Communications, points to a recent trial held in Slough in which 3,000 staff worked from home for one day. The result was a saving of 2,000 commuter hours, resulting in more productive employees. Business costs for fuel and electricity were also saved.

When you consider the biggest overhead for most small businesses is the cost of the office, there may also be no need for growing businesses to spend valuable funds on bigger premises, and companies may also find that they can downsize their current offices.  

It might take a disruptive event like the Olympics to get companies get into the mindset of flexible working, but once they’re there, the benefits could make it worth continuing with less rigid staffing procedures.

See also: Flexible ways of working