The standard 9-5, five days a week, is no longer fit for purpose.
The lives we live today are very different than they were 30 years ago. Many men and women juggle family obligations with careers. It’s become the norm to travel long distances from home to the office every day, a result of explosive city-centre property prices. Awareness of our own mental and physical health and wellbeing, and how work can impact upon it, is greater than ever.
Today’s workers demand flexibility, whether that’s to make time for family, fitness, a love of travel or to work a side hustle.
Our changing lifestyles demand that the traditional employer-employee relationship must be redefined. But how?
The Disaggregation of the Workplace
At Velocitii, we love disruption. We’re fascinated by the potential of technology to disrupt traditional ways of working, and we want to bring that ethos to our clients and our teams.
One service we offer to clients is negotiating away from complex, rigid legacy contracts towards smaller, disaggregated contracts. This provides greater freedom and responsiveness to change, as well as innovation and better value-for-money.
The same approach can be applied to the workplace.
Most companies have a headquarters or central office where teams of individuals work in fixed, permanent roles. Employees often sit at the same desks day in, day out, venturing only as far as the meeting rooms or staff kitchen.
This model made sense for decades, allowing teams to interact face-to-face, build relationships and meet regularly. It provided stability, hierarchy and cost-effectiveness.
Arguably, the rise of superfast internet and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) technology changed the game. That, coupled with our changing lifestyles, meant flexible working not only became a feasible option, it also became highly sought-after.
Whole new ways of working have become possible, transforming the workplace for employers and employees alike.
The Benefits of Flexible Working
A big part of our company ethos here at Velocitii is that work should suit the individual, rather than vice versa. When our team members are happy with their work/life balance, we know their work will be outstanding.
We strongly believe that workers shouldn’t have to go to their employer and plead their case for flexible working. That’s why we offer our employees flexible working and remote working opportunities as standard.
Studies have shown that flexible working increases employee retention and happiness, greater productivity and job satisfaction, as this infographic shows:
Rather than restricting employees to working between fixed, rigid hours, flexible working provides the opportunity to work when the individual is at their most productive. By prioritising productivity over longer hours, it’s possible to see better results and happier clients.
Turning the Traditional Workplace Model on Its Head: How We Approach Flexible Working
The nature of what we do - placing ad hoc specialists within our client’s teams to assist on complex projects - means flexibility is key.
Our team members work from a range of different locations, in permanent, part-time and contract positions. Job roles are fluid and take into account the strengths of the individual, the requirements of our clients and the growth of the business.
We communicate regularly and we support each other, but we like to think we’ve flipped traditional ways of working on their head.
A number of our current team work from both the UK and abroad, or from home with flexible hours. We have team members working and living in locations as diverse as Switzerland, Cuba and sunny Norwich:
"Remote working with Velocitii has enabled me to fulfill a lifelong dream of living abroad in Geneva by providing me with the consistency and security of employment whilst making this life change. I also really enjoy that I can focus on delivering my best work and developing relationships whilst not getting drawn into the day to day commitments of corporate life."
Amy - Commercial Consultant
Flexible working also has the potential to help balance gender equality in the workplace. One of the ways it can do this is by making it easier for women to return to work after having children and to balance family commitments with work commitments - as in the case of our very own Jo and Gillian:
"Velociti has answered my need to be a more present and involved mother (to a 6 year old, a 6 month old and 2 year old Labrador) AND also a valuable asset to my business. Providing a supportive community in which I do not waste time processing negative emotion then allows me to build positive thoughts, increasing my energy to deliver both at work and at home. It is inspiring!”
Jo - Director of Strategy
“As a contractor I am a business, I work hard and deliver. However work is not the whole of me, I also have commitments to my family and as a mentor. Flexible working allows me to make the time and focus for all the important things in my life outside work. Most importantly I can be there for my family, and flexible working means I can still deliver quality work to my clients.”
Gillian - Technology Lead
Flexible Working For All
We’re excited to be following the development of the Flex For All (#flexforall) campaign and the 'Ten Minute Rule' bill that is being presented to parliament by MP Helen Whately this month. Both argue that all jobs should provide the option for flexible working by default, and give workers the right to request flexible working at any stage in their employment.
Introducing Velocitii People
Velocitii Digital is growing fast. We are looking for experienced consultants to help meet the needs of our clients in this fast-paced, complex, agile environment.
We value inclusivity and flexibility and ensure our consultants feel supported to be able to produce their best work for our clients. At Velocitii we strive to work with our people to find the unique blend of work and life that fits each individual.
If you are proud of what you deliver and have experience in complex digital transformation, we would love to hear from you! Please reach out to us highlighting your relevant skills and experience: