Study: 96 percent of employees believe a flexible office can improve productivity

Evolving technology has changed the desires of many employees. Whether it is a desire to bring a personal iPad into the office to improve work flow, take business calls on a smartphone while on the road or work from the living room to improve one's work-life balance, innovations of the last few years are starting to mold the current office environment.

A study by HR recruiter Ortus found that flexibility is becoming an increasingly important part to the employee experience. The numbers show that 96 percent of workers believe a flexible working schedule is the most successful way to improving day-to-day productivity. Furthermore, 59 percent of respondents believe working from home will increase engagement and create a more productive workforce.

According to Stephen Menko, the U.K. director at Ortus, the attitudes of employees are constantly evolving. Workers are more focused on their health and happiness than meetings and late nights in the office.

"Allowing people to work around their lives rather than the other way around is easier today with access to smartphones, the internet and emails meaning flexible working practices are easier to achieve for organizations with little cost," said Menko. "However, the case for flexible working clearly still needs to be made to employers and employees alike if it is to become the norm."

Businesses that want to improve or create a flexible work environment will need to invest in solutions like a VoIP phone system or cloud computing and document sharing to ensure an employee is able to be as productive from home to the road as they are in the office.

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