Cloud can be the basis of flexible working

When it comes to the benefits of cloud computing factors such as operational flexibility and business agility are often close to the top of the list, but it is not always clear what such capabilities can generate in practical terms. But a recent survey on working practices points to one important opportunity – the greater use of flexible working as an option.

The Flex Factor report, published today by the think tank RSA and Vodafone UK, surveyed 2,828 employees and employers on the subject, and found that employees estimate they could gain on average five productive hours per week through finding better ways of working. This equates to around £4,200 per employee per year.

Taken across the board, the report suggests that UK organisations could find themselves with combined cost reductions and productivity gains that could total up to £8.1bn, or 0.5 percent of GDP, just by optimising their approach to flexible working.

The report reveals that better ways of working are a key driver of productivity, performance and organisational innovation as well as employee satisfaction and wellbeing. Sixty-four per cent of those with experience of flexible working say it has enhanced their job satisfaction – providing tangible evidence that personal and performance benefits are closely linked.

It shows that there are 13 percent of employees who want to work flexibly right now, and to do so would generate a potential net value of £8.1 billion to the UK economy, once costs are taken into consideration. That would lead to a £6.9bn net potential gain in productive hours per year after a conservatively estimated 50 percent implementation cost is taken into consideration.

It estimates that this would also lead to a saving of £1.2bn per year in workstation and printing costs because of an 11 percent reduction in office time and the consequent reduction in workstation and print overheads.

Almost half the employers surveyed already provide their employees with access to a work laptop, one in four provide a smartphone and one in ten are now providing tablet computers. Couple this with the growing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement and an increasingly dominant part of the UK workforce is already equipped for both much greater flexibility in work and working with cloud services infrastructures.

Investment in computing hardware and software is also driving flexible working, enabling people to connect with colleagues, knowledge and ideas quickly and effectively wherever they are and whenever they need to.

According to Jeroen Hoencamp, Enterprise Director at Vodafone UK, the traditional workplace is dead and British business needs to adopt a new mind-set. “Flexible working isn’t just working from home and these findings reveal that, with an optimised approach, businesses can overcome any downsides and greatly increase efficiency and productivity, as well as boost their bottom line,” he said.

He feels the time has come for organisations to embrace better ways of working, and do it consciously as a strategy for success as opposed to ignoring them.

“Our findings show that there is no 'one size fits all' approach, and that there are costs to be considered,” said Julian Thompson, Director of Enterprise at RSA. “But enabling people to work flexibly can make a significant difference to our economic and social prosperity, both now and in the future."