The Radical Promise of Truly Flexible Work

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Work environments

by

Ludmila N. Praslova

by

Ludmila N. Praslova

· Long read

Andrei Cojocaru

Summary.

Is it possible for companies to protect employee autonomy, engagement, and well-being, as well as job flexibility while also ensuring efficiency and productivity through a period of economic uncertainty and slower growth? The author’s research into how organizations unlock the productivity of neurodivergent and disabled workers points to a way forward — one that allows leaders to accommodate the unique needs of every team member. Comprehensive flexibility supports stronger engagement and performance, not just on a case-by-case basis but at scale. True, sustainable flexibility is about more than just work location and hours. It encompasses which tasks people do and how they get them done. It’s about making work “fit” people, not the other way around. When organizations center the design of work on humans, values, and long-term success in this way, they become productive, resilient, inclusive, and equitable.

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Nearly four years after the Covid-19 pandemic upended the norms of work around the world, most of us are still struggling to find a new normal. Employers are grappling with a host of conflicting demands. On the one hand, they need to boost productivity and contain costs in the face of inflationary trends and slow economic growth, and shareholders are laser-focused on the bottom line. On the other, organizations must solve what Microsoft’s chief people officer, Kathleen Hogan, has called a “ human energy crisis .” Many workers are burned out and disengaged, still trying to adjust to remote or hybrid work or stressed by return-to-office requirements . Some are also managing health issues — including long Covid symptoms — and caregiving roles. They’re also coping with drastically increased costs of living. According to one survey, 42% of employees say their employers don’t care about them .

Read more on Work environments or related topics Diversity and inclusion , Hybrid work , Remote work and Work-life balance

LP Ludmila N. Praslova , PhD, SHRM-SCP , author of the The Canary Code , uses her extensive experience with neurodiversity and global and cultural inclusion to help create talent-rich workplaces. She is a professor of graduate industrial-organizational psychology and the accreditation liaison officer at Vanguard University of Southern California.

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Read more on Work environments or related topics Diversity and inclusion , Hybrid work , Remote work and Work-life balance

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Navigation Menu. Subscribe. Sign In. Account Menu Account Menu Hi,  Guest. Search Menu. Close menu. CLEAR. SUGGESTED TOPICS. Explore HBR. Latest. The Magazine. Ascend. Podcasts. Video. Store. Webinars. Newsletters. Popular Topics. Managing Yourself. Leadership. Strategy. Managing Teams. Gender. Innovation. Work-life Balance. All Topics. For Subscribers. The Big Idea. Data & Visuals. Reading Lists. Case Selections. HBR Learning. Subscribe. My Account. My Library. Topic Feeds. Orders. Account Settings. Email Preferences. Log Out. Sign In. Subscribe. Latest. Podcasts. Video. The Magazine. Ascend. Store. Webinars. Newsletters. All Topics. The Big Idea. Data & Visuals. Reading Lists. Case Selections. HBR Learning. My Library. Account Settings. Log Out. Sign In. Your Cart. Visit Our Store. My Library. Topic Feeds. Orders. Account Settings. Email Preferences. Log Out. Reading Lists. 2 free. s. last free article. Subscribe. Create an account. Work environments. by. Ludmila N. Praslova. by. Ludmila N. Praslova. · Long read. Andrei Cojocaru. Summary. Is it possible for companies to protect employee autonomy, engagement, and well-being, as well as job flexibility while also ensuring efficiency and productivity through a period of economic uncertainty and slower growth? The author’s research into how organizations unlock the productivity of neurodivergent and disabled workers points to a way forward — one that allows leaders to accommodate the unique needs of every team member. Comprehensive flexibility supports stronger engagement and performance, not just on a case-by-case basis but at scale. True, sustainable flexibility is about more than just work location and hours. It encompasses which tasks people do and how they get them done. It’s about making work “fit” people, not the other way around. When organizations center the design of work on humans, values, and long-term success in this way, they become productive, resilient, inclusive, and equitable. Tweet. Post. Share. Annotate. Save. Print. Nearly four years after the Covid-19 pandemic upended the norms of work around the world, most of us are still struggling to find a new normal. Employers are grappling with a host of conflicting demands. On the one hand, they need to boost productivity and contain costs in the face of inflationary trends and slow economic growth, and shareholders are laser-focused on the bottom line. On the other, organizations must solve what Microsoft’s chief people officer, Kathleen Hogan, has called a “ human energy crisis .” Many workers are burned out and disengaged, still trying to adjust to remote or hybrid work or stressed by return-to-office requirements . Some are also managing health issues — including long Covid symptoms — and caregiving roles. They’re also coping with drastically increased costs of living. According to one survey, 42% of employees say their employers don’t care about them . Read more on Work environments or related topics Diversity and inclusion , Hybrid work , Remote work and Work-life balance. LP Ludmila N. Praslova , PhD, SHRM-SCP , author of the The Canary Code , uses her extensive experience with neurodiversity and global and cultural inclusion to help create talent-rich workplaces. She is a professor of graduate industrial-organizational psychology and the accreditation liaison officer at Vanguard University of Southern California. Tweet. Post. Share. Annotate. Save. Print. Read more on Work environments or related topics Diversity and inclusion , Hybrid work , Remote work and Work-life balance. Partner Center. Latest. Magazine. Ascend. Topics. Podcasts. Video. Store. The Big Idea. Data & Visuals. Case Selections. HBR Learning. Subscribe. Explore HBR. The Latest. All Topics. Magazine Archive. The Big Idea. Reading Lists. Case Selections. Video. Podcasts. Webinars. Data & Visuals. My Library. Newsletters. HBR Press. HBR Ascend. HBR Store. Article Reprints. Books. Cases. Collections. Magazine Issues. HBR Guide Series. HBR 20-Minute Managers. HBR Emotional Intelligence Series. HBR Must Reads. Tools. About HBR. Contact Us. Advertise with Us. Information for Booksellers/Retailers. Masthead. Global Editions. Media Inquiries. Guidelines for Authors. HBR Analytic Services. Copyright Permissions. Manage My Account. My Library. Topic Feeds. Orders. Account Settings. Email Preferences. Account FAQ. Help Center. Contact Customer Service. Follow HBR. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Instagram. Your Newsreader. About Us. Careers. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Copyright Information. Trademark Policy. Higher Education. Corporate Learning. Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business School.