Demand for flexible working expected to grow: survey

More than half (51 per cent) of business people expect the demand for flexibility to continue growing over the next year, according to research by Regus Canada.

Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of respondents said they’ve noticed an increase in part-time employees in the past year, while 16 per cent said they’ve seen an increasing number of employees staying in work beyond retirement age. Four per cent of respondents said they’ve noticed an increase in mothers re-entering the workforce.

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“This distinct shift in working habits can be attributed to the changing needs of the global workforce,” said Wayne Berger, executive vice-president of Regus Canada, in a news release. “More and more business people have increasing expectations of greater freedom and flexibility, which is certainly a contributing factor to the popularity of flexibility in working.”

“Millennials, for example, are accustomed to being connected all the time, so it is not surprising that they are looking for options to carry out their tasks from locations of their choice, such as business lounges, co-working spaces, short-term offices or drop-in centres. Worker demand is changing and it is up to businesses to evolve with their changing workforce.”

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