What is Agile Working? Definitions, Examples and Benefits

Agile working has become a buzzphrase in today’s world of work — one that’s mistakenly used as an umbrella term for any kind of flexible working arrangement. But what does agile working actually mean?  And how can it benefit your business?

‘Agile’ means the ability to ‘move quickly and easily’ so, when translated to the workplace, it suggests an “anytime, any place, anywhere” attitude. It’s offering an environment where employees have the freedom to choose their work settings, depending on what’s most appropriate for what they need to achieve.

What is Agile Working?

As outlined by The Agile Organisation: “Agile working is about bringing people, processes, connectivity and technology, time and place together to find the most appropriate and effective way of working to carry out a particular task. It is working within guidelines (of the task) but without boundaries (of how you achieve it).”

What’s the difference between flexible working and agile working?

While flexible working is much more attached to an office’s physical location and the freedom to choose your hours, agile working focuses on what the workplace can offer.

“It’s all about variety, choice and a diversity of typologies”, says Amanda Lim, Head of Knight Frank’s Flexible Office Solutions. “It’s having the variety of doing some desk work, then having an energetic meeting on your feet, followed by some focused time in a quiet breakout space.”

"[Agile working] is having the variety of doing some desk work, then having an energetic meeting on your feet, followed by some focused time in a quiet breakout space.” - Amanda Lim, Head of Flexible Office Solutions

What are the Benefits of Agile Working?

There are many benefits of agile working, for both the employees and the business themselves. From space utilisation to productivity to innovation and collaboration, plenty of benefits are available for everyone.

Space utilisation

In terms of cost-effectiveness, agile working allows businesses to utilise their space in new and efficient ways. If, for example, traditional, under-utilised desk space took up approximately 70% of your office, an agile workplace would scale this down to 50%, with the remaining space being filled with rich and engaging environments.

These could include breakout spaces, kitchen and dining areas, social spots, quiet rooms or collaboration corners, each catering to a specific need.

Thinking about office design in this way can also help to reduce a company’s carbon footprint. By effectively utilising space, tracking occupancy, and powering each section of space with energy-efficient resources (such as motion-sensor lights that automatically turn off when no activity is detected), offices can become more sustainable.

Talent attraction and retention

In terms of attracting and retaining top talent, it’s unsurprising that ambitious, bright minds want to work in exciting, high-spec environments that motivate them. Agile working breaks up the monotony of an entire day spent in a single spot, helping to keep your workforce engaged. Offering something that’s more than a desk and computer space can foster collaboration and creativity within individuals and teams.

This engaging and energetic atmosphere can do wonders for your company culture, creating a positive environment that people want to work and stay in.

Innovation and creativity

Naturally, offices are full of stimuli; they punctuate our days with chance encounters and spontaneous conversions, which often invite our minds to explore novel ideas - and ultimately innovate. This is only heightened in an agile working environment, where employees are moving around different spaces and constantly working in new environments throughout the day.

According to Knight Frank’s EMEA Strategic Consultant, Neil McLocklin, neuroscientists “have demonstrated how a stimulating and dynamic workplace can actually help develop our brains”. Designing an agile office space can, therefore, only boost innovative and creative ideas.

Employee wellbeing

Agile working has often been associated with well-being, and for good reason. Anything that prevents us from sitting down for eight hours a day can help counteract the downsides of a typical nine-to-five job, such as a lack of productivity and freedom. After all, humans aren’t machines, and we’re simply not wired to do the same thing every day.

Sitting for long periods of time - such as spending eight hours at your desk in front of your computer - is believed to increase the risks of several chronic conditions in the long run. it’s also suggested that lengthy sitting stints can slow the metabolism in the short run, hindering the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

And since we all understand the importance of movement to keep us fit and healthy, an agile office space that encourages movement throughout the day can only be a good thing. This can be from sit-stand desks, desk bikes, active sitting chairs, exercise balls, or even encouraging working in various zones around the office.

Agile working has often been associated with wellbeing. Why? Anything that prevents us from sitting down for eight hours a day can help offset the risks of our sedentary nine to five lifestyle.

Employee autonomy and productivity

Agile working ultimately gives employees autonomy: “It’s having that control over your day. If you’re stuck at a desk in a corner of the office, and for whatever reason, you’re distracted, you can get up and walk somewhere quieter, if that’s what you need”, says Amanda Lim.

“That’s key to employee engagement, which plays a huge part in the success of teams,” she continues.

“It also caters to the different roles that people carry out in a business; different people need different environments. When it comes to productivity, a copywriter is likely to need a very different environment from a business development manager. An agile office gives you the opportunity to work how and when you like.”

It seems employees are increasingly noticing the benefits of a more flexible approach, especially since the pandemic. A Microsoft Work Trend Report found that the nine-to-five workday is disappearing as more workers opt for - and expect - a more flexible approach to the working day. Whether this means choosing their own start times for a better work-life balance or being able to have the freedom over their workspaces, offering employees flexibility can only be a positive move.

Agile working caters to the different roles that people carry out in a business; different people need different environments.

Examples of Businesses Using Agile Working Effectively

Global companies, including telecom giant BT, have already adopted agile ways of working. Caroline Waters, Director of People at BT referred to agile working as a “transformational tool” which benefits costs, sustainability and productivity, with some employees citing a 30% rise in the latter.

While it’s not a universal cure, Waters has found that “people are happier and healthier” under BT’s agile working model. For example, 99% of staff return after maternity leave (compared to the nationwide average of 40%), with new mothers citing the agile working model as an enticement.

Other benefits associated with agile working, as reported by BT, include a 35% reduction in stress-related illness, along with fewer recorded sick days. Meanwhile, both staff retention and the calibre of graduate applicants increased.

Agile Working in a Post-Covid Workplace

As the role and layout of the office change and evolve, employees are likely to invest in their commute in order to collaborate, socialise and bounce ideas off each other in the workplace - uninhabited by the glitches, lags and general fatigue of a video call. An office space that facilitates variety - especially after the monotony of working from home - is likely to be at the top of every employer’s wishlist.