Flexibility versus Control

I have previously talked about the concept of “Control” in relation to “Taking Financial Control” and “Taking Control of your Career”. I chose the word control as I believe with control comes empowerment and choices.

The dictionary definition of “Control” refers to “The people who control an organisation or place have the power to take all the important decisions about the way it is run”. Whilst this refers to “organisations or place” these words could be changed to “their lives”, “their income” or “their career”.

Over the last few years, there has been more discussion around the concept of flexible working with employees embracing the opportunity to take more control over the balance in their lives.

The dictionary definition of flexible working is “a situation in which an employer allows people to choose the times that they work so that they can do other things”.

The concept of hybrid working and for people to work whenever or wherever has certainly increased employee’s feeling of control. They have control over how they manage their workload to reach their targets around other commitments outside of work or their lifestyle generally. Employers are being challenged to navigate the new ways of working with the balance of the needs of the business, customers, clients and employees.

I have seen the word “control” used synonymously with “flexibility”. Whilst flexible working can increase the feeling of control. The concept of having control over your career or work is far beyond flexibility.

In most cases of flexible working, the employee’s targets, objectives, KPIs including number of hours to be worked over a specified time are set for them. Individuals are set goals by the organisation and success is defined by the organisation too. The outcome is set by someone other than themselves. For example, a lawyer may have a daily or monthly hours or fees target. They can have flexibility as to when they work these hours or achieve this target (subject to client demands) but they can’t control the target itself. This target limits the scope of their flexibility as the same amount of work is required to be done - it can just be done at different times or from different locations.

Control however affords the individual the power to set their own targets, objectives, KPIs including how much they choose to work over a given day, week or month. It provides the individual with control over how much they earn and where their income comes from. With control an individual can become master of their own destiny.

Control goes further than flexibility. The person with control has the power to set the outcome as well as the flexibility as to how that outcome is achieved. One of Bexley Beaumont’s values is “Empowerment.”

Bexley Beaumont’s lawyers set their own goals and targets. They determine which clients they work with. They determine their income. They set both the outcome and how that outcome will be achieved. It is the control that provides the empowerment.

Karen’s thoughts on “Taking Control of Your Career” and “Taking Financial Control” can be found by clicking the links.