If you could work anywhere in the world, where would it be? This is the question I’ve no doubt some of Pinterest’s employees are asking themselves after the social media platform introduced an initiative enabling eligible full-time members of staff to work outside of their home country for up to 90 days per year.
The organisation follows others, including Zopa Bank and Revolut, which have introduced similar initiatives over the past few months. The concept is certainly an appealing one, particularly if it enables working in warmer climes during the cold winter months. For individuals who are keen to make up for lost time on overseas travel post-pandemic, such a policy might also mean they choose to remain with an employer and opt to work overseas rather than leave to travel for a short time.
Pinterest was not the only organisation that made headlines this week for its flexible-working initiatives. Freedom Services Group began its pilot of a four-day working week for its 190 employees, while Manufacturing Technology Group made the change permanently following a successful two-year trial for its 620 employees.
As many organisations struggle to recruit the talent they require, flexibility in working patterns and location has become a crucial element of the employment proposition. This week also saw the Dutch parliament approve legislation that would establish home working as a legal right in those professions which allow it.
Initiatives such as those outlined above have fast become a valuable weapon in employers’ arsenal when it comes to recruiting and retaining top talent. As well as their impact on employee engagement, attraction and retention, they also enable employers to recruit from a wider geographical pool.
As employers increasingly review their post-pandemic working arrangements, we are likely to see many more following in their footsteps.
Debbie Lovewell-Tuck
Editor
Tweet: @DebbieLovewell