Flexible working: Tips for employers

For a long time the magic number was eight: eight hours of work, eight hours of free time and eight hours of sleep. But this model now no longer seems to be in line with the times: customers expect advice, sales and service around the clock if possible. Employees, on the other hand, want the freedom to reconcile their respective life situations with the demands of their jobs. And the companies? They also need flexibility; for example, to be able to react to fluctuating order situations. Furthermore, flexible working models can be a strong argument for choosing a particular company during job interviews. A win-win situation for everyone. But what do employers need to bear in mind to ensure "flexwork" functions as intended? And what should they look for when choosing an occupational pension plan?

Flexwork arrangements and hybrid forms of work require clear agreements. Only if the framework conditions are transparent and the expectations clearly formulated can a new working culture emerge with the required level of trust. Who can work flexibly? Where can people work? And how does the implementation take place in detail? Attendance requirements, workload, availability? Formulate the rules for flexible working clearly and unambiguously. Make sure that everyone has understood the same thing.

Without trust on the part of the manager or supervisor, flexwork is unthinkable. In order for flexwork to succeed, we need a different leadership culture with a great deal of reciprocal trust. The mere presence of an employee is not an indicator of the quality of their work. The results of the work are much more important. As a manager, you must trust your employees, delegate responsibility and be able to talk to them on an equal footing. Coaching is the new way to lead.

Nothing is constant but change: If the environment, framework conditions, objectives or strategy change, the organization of work should also be adapted. However, new work structures can only be successful if they are compatible with the corporate culture, philosophy and organizational objectives. A job is more than just a job. Employees who agree with this statement are more productive and remain loyal to their company for longer. It is therefore all the more important that corporate culture and flexible working models are adapted and aligned with one another. A new meeting culture, for example, facilitates efficient and effective work processes within teams, because functioning communication forms the basis for effective teams in flexible structures. Regular status meetings, for example, make communication easier because they are entered in the calendars of all team members on a long-term basis.

The world of work is becoming more flexible, and this is also a challenge for occupational retirement concepts, as the legal framework has only kept pace with social developments to a limited extent. This can lead to large shortfalls in occupational retirement provision for many people if the pension planning solution is not adapted and aligned with the needs of the employees. With smart retirement provision solutions, companies can not only stand out from the competition, but also score points as a responsible employer and make an important contribution towards adequate retirement provision for their employees. What exactly can employers do?

1. Insure a higher proportion of wages for part-time work

   As an employer, take responsibility for your employees - also with a view to the future. You can protect your part-time employees optimally by waiving the coordination deduction or adjusting it in line with the respective part-time workload. Yes, that is possible! This is because part-time workers are facing serious shortfalls in their occupational retirement provision. Women are affected in particular. The core of our pension system dates back to the 1970s or 1980s, when full-time employment was considered the standard. It is therefore aligned with coordinated pension provision, which includes payments without any gaps into the first and second pillars, and not with modern working models. This is where you can make a valuable contribution to reducing pension shortfalls.

2. Adding a bit extra as an employer

   As an employer, you are legally obliged to pay at least half of the contributions into occupational retirement provision. If you pay more voluntarily - for example 60 percent - you ensure that your employees have more net money in their wallets at the end of the month. This is a great argument during salary talks. Admittedly, you do pay higher pension fund contributions as a company, but you can deduct these costs as operating expenses.

3. Better pension plans

   To give employees the opportunity to build up higher retirement savings capital in the second pillar, you as an employer can offer them savings from the age of 18, for example. The earlier the savings process starts, the higher the retirement pension will be. It may also be worthwhile to increase benefits beyond the legally required minimum - for example, through higher annual savings contributions or an improvement in risk benefits. Benefits in the event of death and disability are particularly important for families or owners of residential property.