While the 100% in-office model with fixed working hours is still the norm in many organisations, flexible, offsite remote working is a growing expectation among working people. According to a recent report, employees are particularly interested in the possibility of compressing their working hours and trying out the four-day week.

Job offers mentioning this arrangement have seen a search boom of 68% since last February, according to the Flexible Working Report from US-based firm Flexa. This date is not insignificant, since it coincides with the publication of the results of a major trial of the four-day week carried out in the United Kingdom over a six-month period.

The operation was a resounding success, with 92% of participating organisations opting to continue the trial. Companies, in the UK or otherwise, have clearly understood that this organisational model can be a key asset when it comes to recruiting workers.

As a result, the number of recruitment advertisements offering alternative working weeks increased in the last quarter of 2023, compared with the same period the year prior.

There’s every chance that this trend will continue. The fact is, having the option of working four days instead of five is more than just a convenience for employees – it’s the sign of a managerial philosophy based on freedom, autonomy and trust.

By introducing this organisational structure, the company is demonstrating its willingness to adapt to the different needs and lifestyles of its employees, thereby strengthening its employer brand.

The four-day week is not the only alternative working arrangement that appeals to employees – flexibility is another. Interestingly, half of the working people questioned in the Flexa study say they are indifferent to whether or not an employer offers flexible working hours.

“This suggests that when other elements of flexibility are present, whether this be location flexibility or alternative working patterns, day-to-day hour flexibility isn’t as high a priority,” the report notes.

Indeed, working people are far more interested in being able to adapt their working hours from time to time, whether to attend a medical appointment or pick up their children from school. They also attach importance to being able to work wherever they like.

Generally speaking, everything suggests that the time has come for ultra-flexibility: working people would like to be able to come into the office whenever they feel the need, or adapt their working hours to their own schedule, to maintain a balance between their professional and personal lives.

But this new “à la carte” approach to work is a challenge for employers. It requires an in-depth rethink of the relationship between the company and its employees, to ensure that individual demands do not weaken the collective.