Develop a Targeted Flexible Work Program for IT

Select flexible work options that balance organizational and employee needs to drive engagement and improve attraction and retention.

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• IT leaders continue to struggle with workplace flexibility, and it is a top priority for IT employees; as a result, organizations who fail to offer flexibility will have a difficult time attracting, recruiting, and retaining talent.
• The benefits of remote work are not available to everyone, raising fairness and equity concerns for employees.

Common Obstacles

• A one-size-fits-all approach to selecting and implementing flexible work options fails to consider unique employee needs and will not reap the benefits of offering a flexible work program (e.g. higher engagement or enhanced employer brand).
• Improper structure and implementation of flexible work programs exacerbates existing challenges (e.g. high turnover) or creates new ones.

Info-Tech's Approach

• Uncover the needs of unique employee segments to shortlist flexible work options that employees want and will use.
• Assess the feasibility of various flexible work options and select ones that meet employee needs and are feasible for the organization.
• Equip leaders with the information and tools needed to implement and sustain a flexible work program.

Info-Tech Insight

IT excels at hybrid location work and is more effective as a business function when location flexibility is an option for its employees. But hybrid work is just a start. A comprehensive flex work program extends beyond flexible location, so organizations must understand the needs of unique employee groups to uncover the options that will attract and retain talent.

Flexible work arrangements are a requirement in today's world of work

Flexible work continues to gain momentum…

A 2022 LinkedIn report found that the following occurred between 2019 and 2021:

In 2022, Into-Tech found that hybrid was the most commonly used location work model for IT across all industries.

("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2022)

…and employees are demanding more flexibility

Offering workplace flexibility benefits organizations and employees

Higher performance

IT departments that offer some degree of location flexibility are more effective at supporting the organization than those who do not.

35% of service desk functions report improved service since implementing location flexibility.
("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2023).

Enhanced employer brand

Employees are 2.1x more likely to recommend their employer to others when they are satisfied with their organization's flexible work arrangements (LinkedIn, 2021).

Improved attraction

41% of IT departments cite an expanded hiring pool as a key benefit of hybrid work.

Organizations that mention "flexibility" in their job postings have 35% more engagement with their posts (LinkedIn, 2022).

Increased job satisfaction

IT employees who have more control over their working arrangement experience a greater sense of contribution and trust in leadership ("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2023).

Better work-life balance

81% of employees say flexible work will positively impact their work-life balance (FlexJobs, 2021).

Boosted inclusivity

• Caregivers regardless of gender, supporting them in balancing responsibilities
• Individuals with disabilities, enabling them to work from the comfort of their homes
• Women who may have increased responsibilities
• Women of color to mitigate the emotional tax experienced at work

Info-Tech Insight

Flexible work options are not a concession to lower productivity. Properly implemented, flex work enables employees to be more productive at reaching business goals.

Despite the popularity of flexible work options, not all employees can participate

IT organizations differ on how much flexibility different roles can have.

IT employees were asked what percentage of IT roles were currently in a hybrid or remote work arrangement ("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2023).

However, the benefits of remote work are not available to all, which raises fairness and equity concerns between remote and onsite employees.

Offering schedule flexibility to employees who need to be fully onsite can be used to close the fairness and equity gap.

When offered the choice, 54% of employees said they would choose schedule flexibility over location flexibility ("Global Employee Survey," EY, 2021).

When employees were asked "What choice would you want your employer to provide related to when you have to work?" The top three choices were:

Disclaimer: "Percentages do not sum to 100%, as each respondent could choose up to three of the [five options provided]" ("Global Employee Survey," EY, 2021).

Beware of the "all or nothing" approach

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to workplace flexibility.

Understanding the needs of various employee segments in the organization is critical to the success of a flexible work program.

Working parents want more flexibility

Historically underrepresented groups value more flexibility

Workplace flexibility must be customized to the organization to avoid longer working hours and heavy workloads that impact employee wellbeing

Longer hours and unsustainable workloads can contribute to stress and burnout, which is a threat to employee engagement and retention. With careful management (e.g. setting clear expectations and establishing manageable workloads), flexible work arrangement benefits can be preserved.

Info-Tech Insight

Employees' lived experiences and needs determine if people use flexible work programs – a flex program that has limited use or excludes people will not benefit the organization.

Develop a flexible work program that meets employee and organizational needs

Insight summary

Overarching insight: IT excels at hybrid location work and is more effective as a business function when location, time, and time-off flexibility are an option for its employees.

Case Study

Expanding hybrid work at Info-Tech

Challenge

In 2020, Info-Tech implemented emergency work-from-home for its IT department, along with the rest of the organization. Now in 2023, hybrid work is firmly embedded in Info-Tech's culture, with plans to continue location flexibility for the foreseeable future.

Adjusting to the change came with lessons learned and future-looking questions.

Lessons Learned

Moving into remote work was made easier by certain enablers that had already been put in place. These included issuing laptops instead of desktops to the user base and using an existing cloud-based infrastructure. Much support was already being done remotely, making the transition for the support teams virtually seamless.

Continuing hybrid work has brought benefits such as reduced commuting costs for employees, higher engagement, and satisfaction among staff that their preferences were heard.

Looking Forward

Every flexible work implementation is a work in progress and must be continually revisited to ensure it continues to meet organizational and employee needs. Current questions being explored at Info-Tech are:

• The concept of the "office as a tool" – how does use of the office change when it is used for specific collaboration-related tasks, rather than everything? How should the physical space change to support this?
• What does a viable replacement for quick hallway meetings look like in a remote world where communication is much more deliberate? How can managers adjust their practices to ensure the benefits of informal encounters aren't lost?

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

“Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

Guided Implementation

“Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

Workshop

“We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

Consulting

“Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

Guided Implementation

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

A typical GI is 3 to 5 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

Workshop Overview

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

Step 1

Assess employee and organizational needs

1. Assess employee and organizational flexibility needs
2. Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility
3. Implement selected option(s)

After completing this step you will have:

• Identified key stakeholders and their responsibilities
• Uncovered the current and desired state of the organization
• Analyzed feedback to identify flexibility challenges
• Identified and prioritized employee segments
• Determined the program goals
• Identified the degree of flexibility for work location, timing, and deliverables

Identify key stakeholders

Organizational flexibility requires collaborative and cross-functional involvement to determine which flexible options will meet the needs of a diverse workforce. HR leads the project to explore flexible work options, while other stakeholders provide feedback during the identification and implementation processes.

Info-Tech Insight

Flexible work is a holistic team effort. Leaders, flexible workers, teammates, and HR must clearly understand their roles to ensure that teams are set up for success.

Uncover the current and desired state of flexibility in the organization

Info-Tech Insight

Hybrid work is a start. A comprehensive flex work program extends beyond flexible location, so organizations must understand the needs of unique employee groups to uncover the options that will attract and retain talent. Provide greater inclusivity to employees by broadening the scope to include flex location, flex time, and flex time off.

Identify employee segments

Using the data, feedback, and challenges analyzed and uncovered so far, assess the organization and identify employee segments.

Identify employee segments with common characteristics to assess if they require unique flexible work options. Assess the feasibility options for the segments separately in Step 2.

• Segments' unique characteristics include:
• Role responsibilities (e.g. interacting with users, creating reports, development and testing)
• Work location/schedule (e.g. geographic, remote vs. onsite, 9 to 5)
• Work processes (e.g. server maintenance, phone support)
• Group characteristics (e.g. specific teams, new hires)

Identify employee segments and sort them into groups based on the characteristics above.

Examples of segments:

• Functional area (e.g. Service Desk, Security)
• Job roles (e.g. desktop support, server maintenance)
• Onsite, remote, or hybrid
• Full-time or part-time
• Job level (e.g. managers vs. independent contributors)
• Employees with dependents

Prioritize employee segments

Determine whether the organization needs flexible work options for the entire organization or specific employee segments.
For specific employee segments:

• Answer the questions on the right to identify whether an employee segment is high, medium, or low priority. Complete slides 23 to 25 for each high-priority segment, repeating the process for medium-priority segments when resources allow.

For the entire organization:

• When identifying an option for the entire organization, consider all segments. The approach must create consistency and inclusion; keep this top of mind when identifying flexibility on slides 23 to 25. For example, the work location flexibility would be low in an organization where some segments can work remotely and others must be onsite due to machinery requirements.

High priority: The employee segment has the lowest engagement scores or highest turnover within the organization. Segment sentiment is that current flexibility is nonexistent or not sufficiently meeting needs.
Medium priority: The employee segment has low engagement or high turnover. Segment sentiment is that currently available flexibility is minimal or not sufficiently meeting needs.
Low priority: The segment does not have the lowest engagement or the highest turnover rate. Segment sentiment is that currently available flexibility is sufficiently meeting needs.

1. What is the impact on the organization if this segment's challenges aren't addressed (e.g. if low engagement and high turnover are not addressed)?
2. How critical is flexibility to the segment's needs/engagement?
3. How time sensitive is it to introduce flexibility to this segment (e.g. is the organization losing employees in this segment at a high rate)?
4. Will providing flexibility to this segment increase organizational productivity or output

Identify challenges to address with flexibility

Uncover the lived experiences and expectations of employees to inform selection of segments and flexible options.

1. Collect data from existing sources, such as:
   • Engagement surveys
   • New hire/exit surveys
   • Employee experience monitor surveys
   • Employee retention pulse surveys
   • Burnout surveys
   • DEI pulse surveys
2. Analyze employee feedback on experiences with:
   • Work duties
   • Workload
   • Work-life balance
   • Operating processes and procedures
   • Achieving operational outcomes
   • Collaboration and communication
   • Individual experience and engagement
3. Evaluate the data and identify challenges

Example challenges:

• Engagement: Low average score on work-life balance question; flexible work suggested in open-ended responses.
• Retention: Exit survey indicating that lack of work-life balance is consistently a reason employees leave. Include the cost of turnover (e.g. recruitment, training, severance).
• Burnout: Feedback from employees through surveys or HR business partner anecdotes indicating high burnout; high usage of wellness services or employee assistance programs.
• Absenteeism: High average number of days employees were absent in the past year. Include the cost of lost productivity.
• Operational continuity: Provide examples of when flexible work would have enabled operational continuity in the case of disaster or extended customer service coverage.
• Program uptake: If the organization already has a flexible work program, provide data on the low proportion of eligible employees using available options.

1.1 Prepare to evaluate flexible work options

1-3 hours

Follow the guidance on preceding slides to complete the following activities.
Note: If you are only considering remote or hybrid work, use the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook. Otherwise, proceed with the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook.

1. Identify key stakeholders. Be sure to record the level of involvement and responsibility expected from each stakeholder. Use the "Stakeholders" tab of the workbook.
2. Uncover current and desired state. Review and record your current state with respect to culture, productivity, and current flexible work options, if any. Next, record your desired future state, including reasons for implementing flexible work, and goals for the program. Record this in the "Current and Desired State" tab of the workbook.
3. Identify and prioritize employee segments. Identify and record employee segments. Depending on the size of your department, you may identify a few or many. Be as granular as necessary to fully separate employee groups with different needs. If your resources or needs prevent you from rolling out flexible work to the entire department, record the priority level of each segment so you can focus on the highest priority first.
4. Identify challenges with flexibility. With each employee segment in mind, analyze your available data to identify and record each segment's main challenges regarding flexible work. These will inform your program goals and metrics.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Download the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Input

• List of departmental roles
• Data on employee engagement, productivity, sentiment regarding flexible work, etc.

Output

• List of stakeholders and responsibilities
• Flexible work challenges and aims
• Prioritized list of employee segments

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• IT department head
• HR business partner
• Flexible work program committee

Determine goals and metrics for the flexible work program

Info-Tech Insight

Implementing flex work without solid performance metrics means you won't have a way of determining whether the program is enabling or hampering your business practices.

1.2 Determine goals and metrics

30 minutes

Use the examples on the preceding slide to identify program goals and metrics:

1. Brainstorm program goals. Be sure to consider both the business benefits (e.g. productivity, retention) and the employee benefits (work-life balance, engagement). A successful flexible work program benefits both the organization and its employees.
2. Brainstorm metrics for each goal. Identify metrics that are easy to track accurately. Use Info-Tech's IT and HR metrics libraries for reference. Ideally, the metrics you choose should already exist in your organization so no extra effort will be necessary to implement them. It is also important to have a baseline measure of each one before flexible work is rolled out.
3. Record your outputs on the "Goals and Metrics" tab of the workbook.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Download the IT Metrics Library

Download the HR Metrics Library

Input

• Organizational and departmental strategy

Output

• List of program goals and metrics

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee

Determine work location flexibility for priority segments

Work location looks at where a segment can complete all or some of their tasks (e.g. onsite vs. remote). For each prioritized employee segment, evaluate the amount of location flexibility available.

Note

If roles within the segment have differing levels of location flexibility, use the lowest results (e.g. if role A in the segment has a high degree of flexibility for work duties and role B has a low degree of flexibility, use the results for role B).

Identify work timing for priority segments

Work timing looks at when work can or needs to be completed (e.g. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Note

With additional coordination, flex time or flex time off options are still possible for employee segments with a low degree of flexibility. For example, with a four-day work week, the segment can be split into two teams – one that works Monday to Thursday and one that works Tuesday to Friday – so that employees are still available for clients five days a week.

Examine work deliverables for priority segments

Work deliverables look at the employee's ability to deliver on their role expectations (e.g. quota or targets) and whether reducing the time spent working would, in all situations, impact the work deliverables (e.g. constrained vs. unconstrained).

Note

For segments with a low degree of work deliverable flexibility (e.g. very constrained output), flexibility is still an option, but maintaining output would require additional headcount.

1.3 Determine flexibility needs and constraints

1-2 hours

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to document the parameters of each work segment.

1. Determine work location flexibility. Work location looks at where a segment can complete all or some of their tasks (e.g. onsite vs. remote). For each prioritized employee segment, evaluate the amount of location flexibility available.
2. Identify work timing. Work timing looks at when work can or needs to be completed (e.g. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
3. Examine work deliverables. Work deliverables look at the employee's ability to deliver on their role expectations (e.g. quota or targets) and whether reducing the time spent working would, in all situations, impact the work deliverables (e.g. constrained vs. unconstrained).
4. Record your outputs on the "Current and Desired State" tab of the workbook.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Input

• List of employee segments

Output

• Summary of flexibility needs and constraints for each employee segment

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

Step 2

Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility

1. Assess employee and organizational flexibility needs
2. Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility
3. Implement selected option(s)

After completing this step you will have:

• Created a shortlist of potential options for each prioritized employee segment
• Evaluated the feasibility of each potential option
• Determined the cost and benefit of each potential option
• Gathered employee sentiment on potential options
• Finalized options with senior leadership

Prepare to identify and assess the feasibility of potential flexible work options

Evaluate feasibility by reviewing the option's impact on continued operations and job performance

Info-Tech Insight

Every role is eligible for hybrid location work. If onsite work duties prevent an employee group from participating, see if processes can be digitized or automated. Flexible work is an opportunity to go beyond current needs to future-proof your organization.

Assess the option's alignment with organizational culture

Determine the resources required for the option

Examine the option's risks

Determine whether the benefits of the option outweigh the costs

Include senior leadership in the net benefit process to ensure any unfeasible options are removed from consideration before presenting to employees.

1. Document the employee and employer benefits of the option from the previous feasibility factors on slides 29 to 32.

• Include the benefits of reaching program goals identified in Step 1.
• Quantify the benefits in dollar value where possible.

• Quantify the costs in dollar value where possible.

Info-Tech Insight

Flexible work options must balance organizational and employee needs. If an option is beneficial to employees but there is little or no benefit to the organization as a whole, or if the cost of the option is too high, it will not support the long-term success of the organization.

2.1a Identify and evaluate flexible work options

30 minutes per employee segment per work option

If you are only considering hybrid or remote work, skip to activity 2.1b. Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to conduct feasibility assessments.

1. Shortlist flexible work options. Review the Flexible Work Options Catalog to identify and shortlist five to seven flexible work options that are best suited to address the challenges faced for each of the priority employee segments. Record these on the "Options Shortlist" tab of the workbook. Even if the decision is simple, ensure you record the rationale to help communicate your decision to employees. Transparent communication is the best way to avoid feelings of unfairness if desired work options are not implemented.
2. Evaluate option feasibility. For each of the shortlisted options, complete one "Feasibility - Option" tab in the workbook. Make as many copies of this tab as needed.
   • When evaluating each option, consider each employee segment individually as you work through the prompts in the workbook. You may find that segments differ greatly in the feasibility of various types of flexible work. You will use this information to inform your overall policy and any exceptions to it.
   • You may need to involve each segment's management team to get an accurate picture of day-to-day responsibilities and flexible work feasibility.
3. Weigh benefits and costs. At the end of each flexible work option evaluation, record the anticipated costs and benefits. Discuss whether this balance renders the option viable or rules it out.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Download the Flexible Work Options Catalog

Input

• List of employee segments

Output

• Shortlist of flexible work options
• Feasibility analysis for each work option

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
• Flexible Work Options Catalog

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

2.1b Assess hybrid work feasibility

30 minutes per employee segment

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to conduct a feasibility assessment. This exercise relies on having trialed hybrid or remote work before. If you have never implemented any degree of remote work, consider completing the full feasibility assessment in activity 2.1a.

1. Evaluate hybrid work feasibility. Review the feasibility prompts on the "Work Unit Remote Work Assessment" tab and record your insight for each employee segment.
   • When evaluating each option, consider each employee segment individually as you work through the prompts in the workbook. You may find that segments differ greatly in their ability to accommodate hybrid work. You will use this information to inform your overall policy and any exceptions to it.
   • You may need to involve each segment's management team to get an accurate picture of day-to-day responsibilities and hybrid work feasibility.

Download the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Input

• List of employee segments

Output

• Feasibility analysis for each work option

Materials

• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

Ask employees which options they prefer and gather feedback for implementation

Deliver a survey and/or conduct focus groups with a selection of employees from all prioritized employee segments.

Share

• Present your draft list of options to select employees.
• Communicate that the organization is in the process of assessing the feasibility of flexible work options and would like employee input to ensure flex work meets needs.
• Be clear that the list is not final or guaranteed.

Ask

• Ask which options are preferred more than others.
• Ask for feedback on each option – how could it be modified to meet employee needs better? Use this information to inform implementation in Step 3.

Decide

• Prioritize an option if many employees indicated an interest in it.
• If employees indicate no interest in an option, consider eliminating it from the list, unless it will be required. There is no value in providing an option if employees won't use it.

Survey

• List the options and ask respondents to rate each on a Likert scale from 1 to 5.
• Ask some open-ended questions with comment boxes for employee suggestions.

Focus Group

• Conduct focus groups to gather deeper feedback.
• See Appendix I for sample focus group questions.

Info-Tech Insight

Prioritize flexible work options that employees want. Providing too many options often leads to information overload and results in employees not understanding what is available, lowering adoption of the flexible work program.

Finalize options list with senior leadership

1. Select one to three final options and outline the details of each. Include:
   • Scope: To what extent will the option be applied? E.g. work-from-home one or two days a week.
   • Eligibility: Which employee segments are eligible?
   • Cost: What investment will be required?
   • Critical implementation issues: Will any of the implementation issues identified for each feasibility factor impact whether the option will be approved?
   • Resources: What additional resources will be required (e.g. technology)?
2. Present the options to stakeholders for approval. Include:
   • An outline of the finalized options, including what the option is and the scope, eligibility, and critical implementation issues.
   • The feasibility assessment results, including benefits, costs, and employee preferences. Have more detail from the other factors ready if leaders ask about them.
   • The investment (cost) required to implement the option.
3. Proceed to Step 3 to implement approved options.

Running an IT pilot of flex work

• As a technology department, IT typically doesn't own flexible work implementation for the entire organization. However, it is common to trial flexible work options for IT first, before rolling out to the entire organization.
• During a flex work pilot, ensure you are working closely with HR partners, especially regarding regulatory and compliance issues.
• Keep the rest of the organizational stakeholders in the loop, especially regarding their agreement on the metrics by which the pilot's success will be evaluated.

2.2a Finalize flexible work options

2-3 hours + time to gather employee feedback

If you are only considering hybrid or remote work, skip to activity 2.2b. Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to gather final feedback and finalize work option selections.

1. Gather employee feedback. If employee preferences are already known, skip this step. If they are not, gather feedback to ascertain whether any of the shortlisted options are preferred. Remember that a successful flexible work program balances the needs of employees and the business, so employee preference is a key determinant in flexible work program success. Document this on the "Employee Preferences" tab of the workbook.
2. Finalize flexible work options. Use your notes on the cost-benefit balance for each option, along with employee preferences, to decide whether the move forward with it. Record this decision on the "Options Final List" tab. Include information about eligible employee segments and any implementation challenges that came up during the feasibility assessments. This is the final decision summary that will inform your flexible program parameters and policies.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Input

• Flexible work options shortlist

Output

• Final flexible work options list

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee

2.2b Finalize hybrid work parameters

2-3 hours + time to gather employee feedback

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to gather final feedback and finalize work option selections.

1. Summarize feasibility analysis. On the "Program Parameters" tab, record the main insights from your feasibility analysis. Finalize important elements, including eligibility for hybrid/remote work by employee segment. Additionally, record the standard parameters for the program (i.e. those that apply to all employee segments) and variable parameters (i.e. ones that differ by employee segment).

Download the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Input

• Hybrid work feasibility analysis

Output

• Final hybrid work program parameters

Materials

• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee

Step 3

Implement selected option(s)

1. Assess employee and organizational flexibility needs
2. Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility
3. Implement selected option(s)

After completing this step, you will have:

• Addressed implementation issues and cultural barriers
• Equipped the organization to adopt flexible work options successfully
• Piloted the program and assessed its success
• Developed a plan for program rollout and communication
• Established a program evaluation plan
• Aligned HR programs to support the program

Solve the implementation issues identified in your feasibility assessment

1. Identify a solution for each implementation issue documented in the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook. Consider the following when identifying solutions:
   • Scope: Determine whether the solution will be applied to one or all employee segments.
   • Stakeholders: Identify stakeholders to consult and develop a solution. If the scope is one employee segment, work with organizational leaders of that segment. When the scope is the entire organization, consult with senior leaders.
   • Implementation: Collaborate with stakeholders to solve implementation issues. Balance the organizational and employee needs, referring to data gathered in Steps 1 and 2.

Address cultural barriers by involving leaders

To shift a culture that is not supportive of flexible work, involve leaders in setting an example for employees to follow.

Shift symbols, values, and behaviors

• Work with senior leaders to identify symbols, values, and behaviors to modify to align with the selected flexible work options.
• Validate that the final list aligns with your organization's mission, vision, and values.

Info-Tech Insight

Leaders' collective support of the flexible program determines the program's successful adoption. Don't sweep cultural barriers under the rug; acknowledge and address them to overcome them.

Equip the organization for successful implementation

Info-Tech recommends providing managers and employees with a guide to flexible work, introducing policies, and providing training for managers.

3.1 Prepare for implementation

2-3 hours

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to brainstorm solutions to implementation issues and prepare to communicate program rollout to stakeholders.

1. Solve implementation issues.
   • If you are working with the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook: For each implementation challenge identified on the "Final Options List" tab, brainstorm solutions. If you are working with the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook: Work through the program enablement prompts on the "Program Enablement" tab.
   • You may need to involve relevant stakeholders to help you come up with appropriate solutions for each employee segment.
   • Ensure that any anticipated cultural barriers have been documented and are addressed during this step. Don't underestimate the importance of a supportive organizational culture to the successful rollout of flexible work.
2. Prepare the employee guide. Modify the Guide to Flexible Work for Managers and Employees template to reflect your final work options list and the processes and expectations employees will need to follow.
3. Create a communication plan. Use Info-Tech's Communicate Any IT Initiative blueprint and Appendix II to craft your messaging.

Download the Guide to Flexible Work for Managers and Employees

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Input

• Flexible work options final list

Output

• Employee guide to flexible work
• Flexible work rollout communication plan

Materials

• Guide to Flexible Work for Managers and Employees
• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

Run an IT pilot for flexible work

Assess the pilot's success and determine next steps

Review the feedback collected on the previous slide and use this decision tree to decide whether to relaunch a pilot or proceed to a full-scale rollout of the program.

Prepare for full-scale rollout

If you have run a team pilot prior to rolling out to all of IT, or run an IT pilot before an organizational rollout, use the following steps to transition from pilot to full rollout.

1. Determine modifications
   • Review the feedback gathered during the pilot and determine what needs to change for a full-scale implementation.
   • Update HR policies and programs to support flexible work. Work closely with your HR business partner and other organizational leaders to ensure every department's needs are understood and compliance issues are addressed.
2. Roll out and evaluate
   • Roll out the remainder of the program (e.g. to other employee segments or additional flexible work options) once there is significant uptake of the pilot by the target employee group and issues have been addressed.
   • Determine how feedback will be gathered after implementation, such as during engagement surveys, new hire and exit surveys, stay interviews, etc., and assess whether the program continues to meet employee and organizational needs.

Rolling out beyond IT

For a rollout beyond IT, HR will likely take over.

However, this is your chance to remain at the forefront of your organization's flexible work efforts by continuing to track success and gather feedback within IT.

Align HR programs and organizational policies to support flexible work

Organizational policies

Determine which organizational policies will be impacted as a result of the new flexible work options. For example, the introduction of flex time off can result in existing vacation policies needing to be updated.

Plan to re-evaluate the program and make improvements

Collect data

Info-Tech Insight

Negative performance of a flexible work option does not necessarily mean failure. Take the time to evaluate whether the option simply needs to be tweaked or whether it truly isn't working for the organization.

Insight summary

Overarching insight: IT excels at hybrid location work and is more effective as a business function when location, time, and time-off flexibility are an option for its employees.

Introduction

• Flexible work options are not a concession to lower productivity. Properly implemented, flex work enables employees to be more productive at reaching business goals.
• Employees' lived experiences and needs determine if people use flexible work programs – a flex program that has limited use or excludes people will not benefit the organization.
• Flexible work benefits everyone. IT employees experience greater engagement, motivation, and company loyalty. IT organizations realize benefits such as better service coverage, reduced facilities costs, and increased productivity.

Step 1 insight

• Hybrid work is a start. A comprehensive flex work program extends beyond flexible location to flexible time and time off. Organizations must understand the needs of unique employee groups to uncover the options that will attract and retain talent. Provide greater inclusivity to employees by broadening the scope to include flex location, flex time, and flex time off.
• No two employee segments are the same. To be effective, flexible work options must align with the expectations and working processes of each segment.

Step 2 insight

• Every role is eligible for hybrid location work. If onsite work duties prevent an employee group from participating, see if processes can be digitized or automated. Flexible work is an opportunity to go beyond current needs to future proofing your organization.
• Flexible work options must balance organizational and employee needs. If an option is beneficial to employees but there is little or no benefit to the organization, or if the cost of the option is too high, it will not support the long-term success of the organization.
• Prioritize flexible work options that employees want. Providing too many options often leads to information overload and results in employees not understanding what is available, lowering adoption of the flexible work program.

Step 3 insight

• Leaders' collective support of the flexible program determines the program's successful adoption. Don't sweep cultural barriers under the rug; acknowledge and address them to overcome them.
• Negative performance of a flexible work option does not necessarily mean failure. Take the time to evaluate whether the option simply needs to be tweaked or whether it truly isn't working for the organization.
• A set of formal guidelines for IT ensures flexible work is:
  1. Administered fairly across all IT employees.
  2. Defensible and clear.
  3. Scalable to the rest of the organization.

Research Contributors and Experts

Quinn Ross
CEO
The Ross Firm Professional Corporation

Margaret Yap
HR Professor
Ryerson University

Heather Payne
CEO
Juno College

Lee Nguyen
HR Specialist
City of Austin

Stacey Spruell
Division HR Director
Travis County

Don MacLeod
Chief Administrative Officer
Zorra Township

Stephen Childs
CHRO
Panasonic North America

Shawn Gibson
Sr. Director
Info Tech Research Group

Mari Ryan
CEO/Founder
Advancing Wellness

Sophie Wade
Founder
Flexcel Networks

Kim Velluso
VP Human Resources
Siemens Canada

Lilian De Menezes
Professor of Decision Sciences
Cass Business School, University of London

Judi Casey
WorkLife Consultant and former Director, Work and Family Researchers Network
Boston College

Chris Frame
Partner – Operations
LiveCA

Rose M. Stanley, CCP, CBP, WLCP, CEBS
People Services Manager
Sunstate Equipment Co., LLC

Shari Lava
Director, Vendor Research
Info-Tech Research Group

Carol Cochran
Director of People & Culture
FlexJobs

Kidde Kelly
OD Practitioner

Dr. David Chalmers
Adjunct Professor
Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University

Kashmira Nagarwala
Change Manager
Siemens Canada

Dr. Isik U. Zeytinoglu
Professor of Management and Industrial Relations McMaster University, DeGroote School of Business

Claire McCartney
Diversity & Inclusion Advisor
CIPD

Teresa Hopke
SVP of Client Relations
Life Meets Work – www.lifemeetswork.com

Mark Tippey
IT Leader and Experienced Teleworker

Dr. Kenneth Matos
Senior Director of Research
Families and Work Institute

1 anonymous contributor

Appendix I: Sample focus group questions

See Info-Tech's Focus Group Guidefor guidance on setting up and delivering focus groups. Customize the guide with questions specific to flexible work (see sample questions below) to gain deeper insight into employee preferences for the feasibility assessment in Step 2 of this blueprint.

Document themes in the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook.

• What do you need to balance/integrate your work with your personal life?
• What challenges do you face in achieving work-life balance/integration?
• What about your job is preventing you from achieving work-life balance/integration?
• How would [flexible work option] help you achieve work-life balance/integration?
• How well would this option work with the workflow of your team or department? What would need to change?
• What challenges do you see in adopting [flexible work option]?
• What else would be helpful for you to achieve work-life balance/integration?
• How could we customize [flexible work option] to ensure it meets your needs?
• If this program were to fail, what do you think would be the top reasons and why?

Appendix II: Communication key messaging

Works Cited

Baziuk, Jennifer, and Duncan Meadows. "Global Employee Survey - Key findings and implications for ICMIF." EY, June 2021. Accessed May 2022.
"Businesses suffering 'commitment issues' on flexible working," EY, 21 Sep. 2021. Accessed May 2022.
"IT Talent Trends 2022". Info-Tech Research Group, 2022.
"Jabra Hybrid Ways of Working: 2021 Global Report." Jabra, Aug. 2021. Accessed May 2022.
LinkedIn Talent Solutions. "2022 Global Talent Trends." LinkedIn, 2022. Accessed May 2022.
Lobosco, Mark. "The Future of Work is Flexible: 71% of Leaders Feel Pressure to Change Working Models." LinkedIn, 9 Sep. 2021. Accessed May 2022.
Ohm, Joy, et al. "Covid-19: Women, Equity, and Inclusion in the Future of Work." Catalyst, 28 May 2020. Accessed May 2022.
Pelta, Rachel. "Many Workers Have Quit or Plan to After Employers Revoke Remote Work." FlexJobs, 2021. Accessed May 2022.
Slack Future Forum. "Inflexible return-to-office policies are hammering employee experience scores." Slack, 19 April 2022. Accessed May 2022.
"State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trend Report". Info-Tech Research Group, 2023.
Threlkeld, Kristy. "Employee Burnout Report: COVID-19's Impact and 3 Strategies to Curb It." Indeed, 11 March 2021. Accessed March 2022.