Imagine working at a place which gives you the freedom to choose your own hours; a place where you can find the time to travel or take care of your elderly parents or children.
More and more people are citing flexibility as a key workplace attribute – a trend that seems to continue growing thanks to many technological advances.
A study conducted by Bentley University found that 77% of millennials want flexible work hours as it allows them to be more productive in the workplace. Easy access to digital technology 24/7 allows them to work anywhere and anytime, leading to rising demand for flexible hours and telecommuting at the workplace.
It is estimated that by 2030, the majority of millennials will have ditched the traditional 9-to-5 work schedule entirely.
Why Flexible Work Hours are Becoming the Norm?
There are several reasons why so many employable people are insisting on flexible work schedules, such as:
Work-family balance is priority
Up until a decade ago, work used to be the main identifier of people; the older generations used to find meaning in the work itself, regardless of what type of job it was. Today, the focus has shifted to taking a more balanced approach to work as long as the economy is good which offers buoyancy to this type of mentality.
For millennials, work is not everything. They want to balance their work commitments with raising their young children or spending quality time with family and friends.
More productive employees
Companies are realizing that more flexible work hours significantly improve employees’ productivity. A Stanford professor also concluded in his research that employees who work remotely are more satisfied with their jobs and even work more hours. This leads to enhanced motivation and productivity.
Businesses are also noting that removing the time it takes to physically commute to work, directly impacts the workers’ job performance.
The decreasing need for a physical office location
By 2030, most professionals will be working from home using incredibly fast data terminals. Many corporations and organizations are looking to do away with their permanent physical office locations, and turning to virtual workspaces.
This is being done in order to span time zones and geographies, and to reduce the need for air travel to visit clients. So, if there is no need for an office, why keep the conventional office hours?
Want to Work on Your Own Terms? These Are the Best Industries for You
Sales is hands-down the best industry to work in if you are looking for flexible work hours. A lot of companies allow you to sell as much or as little as you want based on how much you want to earn. The problem with sales is that it can be cutthroat and that it could consume someone’s entire week because of the long hours. The people with an identifiable skill are the ones who have the most opportunities in life such as software professionals, engineers of all types, coders, and so on.
Other than sales though, here are some of the top industries for flexible schedules:
- Medical and health
- Computer and IT
- Education and training
- Customer service
- Finance and accounting
- Administrative
- Project/account management
- HR and/or recruiting
- Marketing
These categories allow you to choose short-term projects, and you can connect with others from anywhere. For example, many businesses need additional help during tax-filing times or annual audits.
Health and medical industry is also flexible because you can work as someone who is filling in care gaps for the disabled and the elderly. Since the current hospitals and clinics are mostly incapable of providing inpatient care, you can offer at-home care to post-surgery patients.
Companies such as UnitedHealth Group, SAP, BAYADA Home Health Care, Pearson, AFIRM, Hilton, Kaplan, Aetna, and several others are already leading the way in setting more flexible hours for their employees.
