Five steps to successful dynamic working
57% of Barclays colleagues now work dynamically, with take-up increasing every week. A new ‘White Paper’ sets-out the secrets of Barclays’ success.
Dynamic working was launched across Barclays in June 2015 and 57% of colleagues are now signed up. A new report from Barclays explores why colleagues want to work dynamically and how we've made it possible. The report identified five key steps for success:
- Don’t programme or systemise dynamic working – it needs to remain flexible and agile.
- Have a clear and consistent message to colleagues
- Encourage leadership to set the tone and lead by example
- Appoint and empower champions to sustain a movement
- Develop messaging, communications and training that encourages individuals to self-identify to take up dynamic working
Have a clear and consistent message to colleagues
Tackling myths around dynamic working was fundamental. Flexible working arrangements are not accommodations made for new mothers or colleagues working away from the office. Unless such myths are tackled head on, employees will not self-identify as needing to work dynamically or will be too afraid to ask. We wanted to remove the gender bias and empower all colleagues to think about how dynamic working could benefit them. From the onset our campaigns focused on promoting it for all colleagues at all levels.
Encourage leadership to set the tone and lead by example
Empowering and equipping managers to be advocates will grow their confidence about doing the right thing with their teams. Internal campaigns focused on enabling colleagues to ask for it but also showed managers how it could drive productivity, employee engagement and staff retention. 4,000 managers received training that equipped them to have the right, conversations with their teams.
Appoint and empower champions to sustain a movement
Dynamic working is all about changing your organisation’s culture – from senior management down to the grassroots. Peer learning is one of the most effective ways to share the message. When you appoint Dynamic Working Champions, you will gain a team of advocates who can provide staff with informal advice, guidance and support.
We have seen a rapid take up of dynamic working and in turn have seen staff satisfaction levels go up, productivity increase and improvements in employee retention. It’s been a win for all.
Develop messaging, communications and training that encourages individuals to self-identify to take up dynamic working
It is also imperative that colleagues understand dynamic working is good for business. When we first began promoting it, colleagues were concerned about how it would impact business. We believe communication is key to its success, and teamed with the right technology and working arrangements, we have continued to provide high levels of service for colleagues, customers and clients. In fact, our clients have benefitted. For example, when colleagues flex their hours they can now provide coverage outside of core hours, which is particularly useful when business is done in different time zones. We also invested in the right technology to enable different work arrangements such as remote working.
As Mark McLane, our Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, reflects on the last three years of our Dynamic Working programme, he hopes other organisations will use this as a reference document for their own settings. “We encourage all organisations to gain insight into our journey from this White Paper on Dynamic Working. Empowering colleagues and equipping managers, busting myths and perceptions as well showcasing that it is good for business are three key lessons we learnt – and lessons we want to share widely. We have seen a rapid take up of dynamic working and in turn have seen staff satisfaction levels go up, productivity increase and improvements in employee retention. It’s been a win for all”.