Organizational Flexibility and Why It Matters More Than Ever

Examples of challenges organizations face are an increasingly competitive business environment, globalization and social networks, to name but a few. Every year, new crises emerge and add to these hardships, forcing companies to adapt their business practices or to close down temporarily – or even permanently, with consequential massive layoffs and terminations. Adaptation to these challenges and changes is a complex process. Therefore, organizations need to act swiftly and without delay.

A flexible company can diversify its products, simplify the management of its processes, and innovate both in terms of human resources management and organizational structures. Innovative companies are more efficient and dynamic. The environment is changing at a rapid pace, which means that organizations must keep up with this evolution to ensure their sustainability. Unfortunately, more often than not, they struggle with flexibility and are consequently unable to tackle these new challenges. If some companies struggle in adapting to the abrupt changes we are all facing evert tear, others have seized these transformations as business opportunities. In every crisis, there are opportunities – you just have to seize them.

You can re-evaluate your technologies, your work organization methods, your HR strategies, your modus operandi,  etc. Always make note of the challenges you encounter and the way you overcame them.

How can you adapt to the current context? What can you do differently? What have you learned about your business so far throughout the crisis? Ask yourself all the appropriate questions that will help you implement more flexible working methods. These questions will guide your strategic efforts and pinpoint issues that you may not have been able to see because you were ‘on the inside’.

There is no going back to the way things were ten years ago. Always look toward the future and use what you’ve learned to develop more flexible and responsive ways of working. Maintain the strategy and practices that have recently succeeded and keep optimizing them on an ongoing basis.

Copying what your competitors do is not the way to go here: you must find your own strategy to build your flexible organization. Consider your reality, business strategy and most urgent needs. Your company culture and mission  will also influence your decisions.

Employees are often in the best position to suggest improvements, since they have firsthand knowledge of what needs to be done to improve the business environment. Welcome their comments and suggestions. You can also ask your customers or suppliers for support in making changes to your processes. Using employee engagement surveys is the best way to obtain valuable feedback.

Your focus should be on simplicity and flexibility! Your new work organization, your new operations or your new management must allow you to gain efficiency and to adapt quickly to any prospect.

There are different ways for a company to gain efficiency and flexibility. One of these is continuous improvement, which consists of continually questioning an organization’s ways of working to improve them. However, it is important to note that organizational flexibility is still attainable, even for a company that does not implement this management method.

Organizational flexibility also means offering flexibility in the workplace: flexible working hours, 4-day workweek, remote and hybrid work possibilities, digital nomad opportunities, etc. By embracing flexibility in all its forms, your talent management will be more flexible and adaptable throughout the company, supporting your organizational flexibility strategies.

The job market is fast changing. When it comes to technology, what was new yesterday will be outdated tomorrow! Innovative companies must anticipate these evolutions and be more flexible.

In short, our advice is as follows: don’t wait for another crisis before assessing your company’s organizational flexibility. Keep your mind and eyes open for opportunities. The success of your organization depends on its management and operating methods. The more flexible it is, the more it will adapt to its environment and its challenges in the future. Start your analysis now, and don’t delay in implementing your changes. Be ready to start again in full force!