# Managing flexible working on a global scale Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2020-06-02 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: The Impact of Flexibility on Global Workforces Meta Description: Discover how different countries approach flexible working and work-life balance in the global market. Learn about cultural differences and the concept of URL: https://financedigest.com/managing-flexible-working-on-a-global-scalehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/fd100518-8-1-1736838907807-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Paul Sleath,_** _CEO of_ _PEO Worldwide_ Until recently, most of us would have worked for organisations that remained more or less local. Colleagues were often in the same building or, at the very least, in the same country — meaning we had similar ways of communicating and ‘doing things’. Nowadays, more and more companies are branching out into new territories and relying on an international workforce to succeed in the global market. When operating across borders, it’s imperative to be aware of differences in [cultures and ways of working](https://www.financedigest.com/smart-working-versus-presenteeism-enabling-productivity-in-a-post-pandemic-hybrid-work-culture.html "Smart Working Versus Presenteeism: Enabling Productivity in a Post-Pandemic Hybrid Work Culture"). For example, are timeliness and structure foremost in everyone’s mind, or is flexibility at the heart of the company’s success? ‘Flexibility’ has become a bit of a buzzword lately, but flexible working can take on many different forms depending on which [country you’re dealing](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-countries-eye-deal-on-more-energy-measures-within-weeks.html "EU countries eye deal on more energy measures within weeks") with. Generally, flexibility is considered a good thing, but we know it can have some poor connotations and our view is that it really depends on how it’s used. If you have a flexible schedule and greater control over your [working hours](https://www.financedigest.com/madrid-street-sweepers-death-prompts-curbs-on-heatwave-working-hours.html "Madrid street-sweeper’s death prompts curbs on heatwave working hours") but no clear boundaries, you may experience ‘flexible guilt’ — meaning you feel you have to put in more hours. This tendency to worry is often seen in countries with high [unemployment rates](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-job-growth-picks-up-in-june-unemployment-rate-rises-to-5-9.html "U.S. job growth picks up in June; unemployment rate rises to 5.9%") and less stable market conditions. In comparison, workers are less likely to experience ‘flexible guilt’ in countries where hourly pay rates are higher, it’s acceptable to go home early and time in the office is less important than getting your work done. This is often the case in countries like Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands — but not so much in the US and the UK. Let’s take a closer look at how flexible working differs across some countries… **The US** Workers in the US have been pushing [hard for more flexible work](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-pm-sunaks-office-says-the-hard-work-begins-now35794.html "UK PM Sunak’s office says ‘the hard work begins now’") options, and they’re finally starting to gain traction in many areas nationwide. However, the US still lags far behind many of its counterparts around the world when it comes to flexibility and work-life balance. Many US workers work incredibly long hours and are expected to be on-call virtually all day, every day. Compared to many other countries, holiday entitlement is also minimal, and time often has to be accrued. In this sense, the US has a lot to learn from European experiments with flexibility. **Europe** European nations and companies are constantlycreating and refining policies related to [remote work](https://www.financedigest.com/it-departments-getting-a-bad-rap-over-remote-working.html "IT DEPARTMENTS GETTING A BAD RAP OVER REMOTE WORKING") and other flex options. The Nordic countries –– Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland — and the Netherlands stand out in particular when it comes to flexible working. **The Nordics** Thanks to their deep-rooted culture of trust and equality — as well as relatively flat organisations, pragmatism and low hierarchies — the Nordic nations are well suited to agile working styles. In Finland, in particular, flexible working has been embedded in the country’s culture for more than two decades. This is largely thanks to the 1996 Working Hours Act, which [gives most staff](https://www.financedigest.com/ubs-gives-hong-kong-staff-covid-quarantine-cash-memo.html "UBS gives Hong Kong staff COVID quarantine cash -memo") the right to adjust their typical working hours by starting or finishing up to three hours earlier or later. At the beginning of January, updates to the Act also came into force, giving the majority of full-time employees the right to decide when and where they work for at least half of their [working](https://www.financedigest.com/the-evolving-world-of-work-what-next-for-employers.html "The Evolving World Of Work – What Next For Employers?") hours. **The Netherlands** In the Netherlands, 36 hours is typically considered a ‘full-time’ [working week](https://www.financedigest.com/productivity-and-the-four-day-working-week-in-financial-services.html "Productivity and the four-day working week in financial services"). During those 36 hours, workers are highly productive (in fact, the Dutch are [considered some of the most productive people in industrialised countries)](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-countries-consider-lower-gas-price-cap-documents.html "EU countries consider lower gas price cap – documents"). But after the workday is done, there is a [big emphasis on family time](https://www.financedigest.com/tech-ceos-wax-poetic-on-ai-big-adds-to-sales-will-take-time.html "Tech CEOs wax poetic on AI, big adds to sales will take time") and wellbeing. The Dutch [government also supports](https://www.financedigest.com/where-do-small-businesses-turn-when-government-support-dries-up.html "Where do small businesses turn when government support dries up?") (even encourages) flexible schedules and remote working, and it has introduced legislative measures to ensure flexible working is a right, not a gift. For example, Dutch [workers have a right to request flexible working and employers can only reject](https://www.financedigest.com/volkswagens-mexico-factory-workers-reject-union-pay-deal.html "Volkswagen’s Mexico factory workers reject union pay deal") it if they provide a concrete case for why this cannot be accepted. Such protection is crucial to making flexible working work. **The UK** In the UK, workers also have a right to request flexibility, but those requests can be rejected on certain grounds — meaning there is a sense that employers are ‘gifting’ flexibility. There are many grounds for rejection and, often, employers won’t give employees a proper reason. Plus, substantial employment tribunal fees mean cases rarely get taken further. [**Managing expectations**](https://www.financedigest.com/food-waste-management-market-expected-to-expand-more-than-three-fold-through-2032.html "Food Waste Management Market Expected to Expand More than Three-Fold through 2032") Of course, these are just some examples of how flexible working differs across countries. Each [country will have its own way of doing things](https://www.financedigest.com/embedded-security-for-internet-of-things-market-2021-by-global-key-players-types-applications-countries-industry-size-and-forecast-to-2027.html "Embedded Security For Internet Of Things Market 2021 by Global Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Industry Size and Forecast to 2027"). When you’re employing people overseas, it’s essential to understand what flexible working looks like in practice in each country you want to operate in. This will help to avoid any frustrations or conflict. For example, in some countries where flexible working is still seen as a perk rather than a right, there’s a huge level of stigmatisation that workers [create](https://www.financedigest.com/the-benefits-of-creating-a-great-working-environment.html "The Benefits of Creating a Great Working Environment") more work for others or aren’t working as hard. This perception could [lead to clashes](https://www.financedigest.com/frances-macron-consolidates-poll-lead-after-tv-clash.html "France’s Macron consolidates poll lead after TV clash") with employees in countries where flexible working is seen as a right. As such, communication, compromise and setting expectations are key. [It’s important](https://www.financedigest.com/paternity-leave-and-why-its-important.html "Paternity Leave and Why It’s Important.") to ensure every employee in your organisation is heard — no matter where they are based geographically — and that there are opportunities to feedback on routine interactions. [Team members](https://www.financedigest.com/playground-xyz-appoints-new-team-members-as-it-solidifies-its-position-as-a-leader-in-the-attention-space.html "Playground xyz appoints new team members as it solidifies its position as a leader in the attention space") can use the phone, email or even video conferencing to check in with each another and find out how the collaboration is going. Equally, they can make use of various technologies to ensure schedules are aligned, and everyone is on the same page. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---