A few recent studies reveal just how much our attitudes about work have changed since the pandemic began almost a year ago. Remote work seems to have caught on—because according to a Pew Research study, almost half of all work-from-home employees have no interest in returning to the office. The other half probably think the wrong answer could affect their job security.
This sentiment and others are the new demands of today’s workforce. They clearly don’t miss the morning commutes and traffic delays. They enjoy casual dress every day of the week now—not just Fridays. Their pets are most certainly a lot happier. And for most, the bond between couples and their children has grown stronger—with more time spent among loved ones. But the common denominator running throughout these preferences is flexibility.
Flexibility, a hallmark benefit of franchise ownership, has now become commonplace. And those who enjoy this advantage are loath to give it up. They’re finally learning what franchise owners have understood for quite some time. Flexibility = Freedom. What will you do with it? Better yet, what will you do without it?
In pre-pandemic times, the cost-value ratio of working a full-time position meant 40 hours a week. But that only represented time on the clock. The additional time of getting ready for work, commuting, working a full day, then commuting back home again often added up to much more of a time commitment than people realized. But talk to any franchise owner who’s been on the job for a few months about one of the biggest benefits since becoming their own boss and you’d hear, “I get to set my own schedule.”
What many people fail to realize is just what this flexibility and freedom means in their day-to-day lives. As a business owner, franchise-owned or not, your first priority is the operation and profitability of your company. Once that’s squared away, the flexibility and freedom creeps into your life in unexpected ways. Yes, you can take a midday trip to the grocery store when the crowds aren’t present. Yes, it does mean you can take your kids to soccer practice without relying on a carpool. Yes, you can take the dogs for a walk in the sunshine.
Unlike the corporate world, you’re no longer chained to your desk and at the beck and call of the organizational flowchart’s leadership. While attending first and foremost to your franchise’s business health—operating according to the proven business model—you’ll eventually learn how much flexibility and freedom you can set aside for yourself.
Like many of the pandemic’s remote workers are just now discovering, setting your own schedule is an attractive proposition. Freedom is intoxicating. And for franchise owners, the best value proposition of them all is the freedom to succeed as a small business owner.
Let us hear from you. If franchising = freedom, what would you do with it? We can help you with a few ideas. It only takes a moment to set up a no-cost, no-obligation appointment with one of FranNet’s qualified franchise consultants.