Flexible working is a key employee motivator, research shows

Flexible working is one of the main drivers of motivation for UK employees, according to HSBC.

Their study found 89 per cent of employee respondents believe flexible working is a key motivator for boosting productivity levels. 77 per cent consider financial incentives to be the main motivator.

Popular

The research showed 90 per cent of female workers believe flexible working helps them feel more motivated. 87 per cent of male workers feel the same.

The majority of respondents were also found to favour remote working practices, with 81 per cent believing being provided with the opportunity to work this way helps boost productivity.

London and the South East are the most popular locations for flexible working, with opportunities being provided for 30 per cent and 32 per cent of employees respectively. Just 18 per cent of employees in Wales are being offered flexible working opportunities, resulting in much lower productivity levels.

Productive

The professional services industry was found to be the most productive sector, with 36 per cent of professional services employees being offered flexible hours.

The retail, hospitality, and leisure industries have the lowest productivity levels, with 24 per cent of employees not being offered any flexible working opportunities or other benefits.

The research found that workers aged 35 to 44 consider flexible working to be important. 59 per cent of respondents say they value flexible working opportunities a great deal, compared to just 37 per cent of those under the age of 35.

Flexible working could help employers keep employees interested in their job, with 18 per cent of respondents citing a poor work-life balance as their main reason for leaving their previous role.