How do you want to work? For most professionals, it’s a question they only get to answer in part. Job requirements such as working from a centralised office during set hours limit how much freedom you have in your day.
But that’s changing. Recent events have challenged the centralised working model, forcing businesses and individuals to rethink flexible working, and fast-tracking policies that allow people to work remotely. In the era of COVID-19, many of the established norms around the workplace are changing, allowing workers more ability to define how they want to work.
These changes don’t just have to be for now. While a disruptive period for most businesses, this time is the perfect opportunity for us to reflect on what we want our work lives to look like into the future, building flexibility into our careers as part of the new normal.
Working how you want
Many Australians argue that the ability to work remotely is key to a flexible working life. As far back as 2013, demand for significantly different ways of working was high amongst Australians. Since then, demand has only increased as the market has changed and teleworking technology has evolved, leading to a market where nearly 70% of employers offer remote working in some capacity.
Enforced social distancing as a result of COVID-19 has only accelerated the drive toward remote work. With many Australians advised to minimise time outside as much as possible, we’re seeing an explosion in the number of people working remotely.
Four out of five workers said that remote working contributed to a better work-life balance, allowing them to play a more commanding role in shaping their workday. It’s an essential starting point for any discussion of a more flexible work/life balance.
Enabling flexibility
However, that’s not enough. Discussions around achieving a flexible working life can all too frequently narrow to just talking about remote work. While these conversations are welcome – and in our current climate, more necessary than ever – we can’t stop there.
Key to building a flexible working life is understanding its enablers – what are the things that make it possible to work flexibly? Currently, our world is set up for a certain kind of employment – working 9am to 5pm in a centralised office. It’s simply easier to get to your place of work currently – most offices position themselves near major public transport hubs, with the largest number of services running before 9am and after 5pm.
By changing the way we work – by allowing full-time remote working, or encouraging staggered starts – we run the risk of making the most basic parts of their roles more difficult. Getting to meetings or the office on time suddenly becomes an ordeal when trains only run every 45 minutes.
While flexible working hours and staggered starts may mean rush hour is a thing of the past, that doesn’t help anyone who can’t afford a car. Cars are the third largest expense for most people behind housing, taking a significant chunk out of your pay cheque to cover insurance, registration, servicing and more. With a quality used car costing at least $10,000, and running costs soaring into the thousands every year, simply getting to the office under a flexible working schedule becomes far more difficult. This issue compounds if you are required to attend off-site meetings or visit clients.
Making new ways of working possible
Carbar offers a solution. Don’t spend thousands of dollars acquiring a car and thousands more keeping it on the road, subscribe to our car subscription service and get where you need to go sooner.
As we emerge from COVID-19 into the new normal, all of us will need to adapt to changes in our routine and lifestyle. But meeting a demand for increased flexibility shouldn’t come at the cost of financial stability.
With Carbar, forging a new worklife for yourself post-pandemic is simple, easy and affordable. Our car subscription service gives drivers the best of both worlds, offering the car of your choice at a fixed price that eliminates unexpected costs, with no commitment, no cancellation fees and the ability to stop and swap with just two weeks’ notice.
