This latest global business survey from Regus clearly shows that flexible working practices are now mainstream across the world. Offering employees flexible working conditions (defined as being able to choose when and where to work), reduces costs, contributes to business performance, improves motivation and productivity, helps access a wider talent pool, and helps retain employees through an improved work-life balance.

This latest Regus survey, which interviewed over 17,000 senior business people in 80 countries, helps calibrate business support for flexible working, and the various advantages which such practices claim to produce.

• Flexible working practices have become a mainstream solution to containing costs and boost profitability, with 81% of firms globally offering their employees a level of choice about when and where they work.
• 60% of businesses globally also believe that flexible working practices, whether related to office hours or location, are more cost efficient than fixed office working. This is added to the evident carbon reduction benefits resulting from reduced commuting distances.
• In addition, flexible working is recognised as an effective practice for motivating and rewarding family-oriented employees. 70% of firms globally consider flexible working to be more family friendly.
• Four out of ten businesses believe that flexible working improves employee productivity (41%) and a third believe that motivation also increases when flexi-working is allowed.
• It is widely agreed that all employees regardless of whether they have a family or not can benefit from the improved work-life balance that flexible working can afford them (60%).
• One fifth of businesses also regard flexible working as a solution that helps attract a wider talent pool (21%) and even allow them to employ valuable people that live in more remote parts of their country (19%).
• Of particular interest for emerging economies, over one fifth of businesses globally (21%) believe that flexible working practices are an asset to them in periods of sudden growth as they allow rapid scalability.
• An important trust issue is raised by the findings of the report which reveals that although 59% of businesses allow some level of flexibility to workers regardless of their seniority, age or service record, 40% declare that only senior staff are sufficiently trusted – a disadvantage for young families and junior talent.