EXCLUSIVE: Emma Francis, diversity and inclusion lead at insurance organisation Zurich UK will discuss how businesses, have and can, further adapt to flexible working among their workforce at Employee Benefits Reset 2020.
The strategy session titled ‘Embracing flexible working’ will take place at 2.30pm on Monday 5 October in the first ever Employee Benefits online series of keynotes, how-to and strategy sessions, which will run from 5 – 16 October.
With the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic having an effect on how people work now and in the future, Francis will discuss the benefits that flexible working can have on employees and business performance.
During her session, Francis will also discuss why it is important for employers to continue looking for ways to embrace flexible working post-pandemic and how this will heavily support working parents and those with health concerns.
Francis will look back on the flexible working policy that Zurich UK introduced for its 4,500 employees before the Coronavirus pandemic began and how this initiative massively aided them in swiftly adapting to a remote working lifestyle once lockdown restrictions were introduced.
Francis said: “We are in a tipping point where the pandemic has been the catalyst in embracing flexible working, numerous organisations have discovered that flexible working can work for them. Those who haven't done this before have been forced to embrace this and hopefully have seen the benefits of doing so.
"At this stage, it is important for employers to not slip back into old habits and see how 9-5 is the only state that people must work in. There a many reasons why flexible working can be a good business initiative, from productivity to reducing the gender pay gap. From my perspective, reducing fear behind flexible-working would be the key takeaways that people could take away from this session."
Attendees can register to attend all keynotes and sessions for free.