Essential Shift in Work Arrangements
Flexible working arrangements have become essential in today’s work environment, prompting global policymakers to reconsider regulatory frameworks, as highlighted by a survey from the World Employment Confederation.
The survey reveals that 83% of senior executives believe employees now value flexibility in where and when they work as much as their compensation post-pandemic.
Additionally, 82% of senior executives acknowledge that the idea of a single career path for life is obsolete, while 83% emphasize the importance of raising awareness about the variety of labor contracts available, allowing individuals to choose what suits them best.
The survey stresses the necessity of updating labor regulations to meet these new expectations. Currently, only 38% of business leaders feel fully equipped to manage a diverse mix of work forms, and just 37% feel capable of recruiting agency workers at the required scale.
Flexible working arrangements have become essential in today’s work environment
Adapting Work to Lifestyle
“In the past, we had to adapt our lives to fit our work. Today, that script has flipped: We expect our work to adapt to our lifestyle and our life stage,” said Denis Pennel, managing director of WEC, in a press release.
“Creating and embedding truly sustainable flexibility demands a new paradigm and requires policymakers to ensure that legal frameworks recognize the value of diverse forms of work,” Pennel added. “Labor market reforms are needed to provide workers with diverse working options and rewarding experiences, regardless of their contract, while also meeting business resourcing and talent needs.”
The “Work We Want” survey gathered responses from 715 senior executives worldwide, including 680 from Forbes Global 2000 companies and 35 public sector organizations, conducted between November and December 2023.
