An increasing number of employees want to work with more flexibility to achieve a better balance between their work and the rest of their lives. However, while a growing number of organizations are trying to accommodate requests for their employees who are doing it not for altruism, but for reasons of good business. Benefits range from increased motivation, productivity and retention, better customer service and a considerable reduction in costs and CO2.

However, many companies still resist the strong business case for flexible working. They fear that staff working from home escape, and that customers will lose faith if they can not talk to people who want exactly when and where they want. Some employers believe that the desire to work flexibly implies a lack of commitment, which is a benefit for working mothers and that breed resentment among those who do not work flexibly.

But these attitudes represent the biggest obstacle to flexible working. Other key elements are to win the acceptance of line managers, showing how it can benefit the team, the customer and the company; communicating flexible working as a benefit for everyone, not just women, strong policies and practices, learning to rely on human employees, and, most importantly, control of output, not input.

In companies such as DSGI, BT, Lloyds TSB and First Direct, who have been great pioneers of flexible working, flexibility for front-line staff and management levels are managed quite differently. The companies offer a variety of different flexible working options, including length of time at work or school hours, evening or night working, compressed hours, mobile home and work shifts, and trying to accommodate the needs of staff front-line as far as possible by programming with the requirements of the company on a weekly, monthly or quarterly.

But when it comes to the central office and support functions, where people work in smaller teams, flexibility is managed more informally. Melissa Godfray, director, equity and diversity at Lloyds TSB, said that good line management, reinforced by training – along with a large dose of common sense – are crucial.

“In our team, for example, we have a weekly plan for all locations – both internally and externally – everyone knows where you are and when they become available, even if by phone or email. And you must avoid scheduling meetings at 7.30 in the morning, if some of the team can not do, “he says.

In fact, some of the most senior and demanding jobs are being done on a flexible basis. Godfray says: “Our head of expatriate banking flies the world all the time, but works a compressed fortnight so that you can reasonably spend chunks of time with his family when in the UK.”

Likewise, Caroline Waters, director, people and policy at BT Group, works from home one or two days a week, another BT senior executive works a compressed work week, and another entirely to his house. “We have examples at all levels,” says Waters.

However, management of flexible working successfully, particularly at management level and above, is also a matter of give and take, says Godfray. “Staff might need to spend your day off on a Friday to a Monday, for example, to accommodate an important meeting, or be prepared to take an urgent call when you’re home.”

You may also need to be flexible if, for some reason, their request for a particular pattern of work is rejected. “But we encourage administrators to not only refuse a request outright, but to explore viable alternatives. Giving people time to reflect on a compromise solution is also important, because these things can be very emotional,” says Godfray .

In these leading companies, flexible working is communicated as a benefit for all staff, not only working mothers, and their assimilation is the same for men and women. “Communicating successful flexible working is also very important, and we take every opportunity to show people – men and women at all levels – they do,” says Godfray.

Working with more flexibility does not mean working less hard, but it often means just the opposite. BT research shows that the average productivity of an individual working from home is 20% higher than when in the office. The growth of BT home delivery in a further £ 8m on the bottom line each year. And the savings do not stop there.

Waters explains: “Since 2000 we have taken £ 500m off our real estate costs. Our return rate after maternity leave is 99% compared with the UK average of 40%, which saves us between £ £ 4m and 5m in recruitment costs. In general, our staff turnover is 3% in an industry where 17-18% is the norm. “People also travel less.” In one year we have used less than 12 meters liters of fuel, saving £ 10m and 54,000 tonnes of CO2. ”

Flexible working is good for business, but for most organizations require a change in mentality and culture.