These days, classic office settings are facing a major uphill battle. With the increasing number of commuters and digitalized work spaces, flexibility has become a priority. We sat down with Sabina Guerrero and Linda Kaestner, co-founders of The Job Tailors, a startup bringing flexible work pro-grams to companies here in Luxembourg, to talk more about these new trends.
(Featured Image: Sabina Guerrero & Linda Kaestner, co-founders of The Job Tailors / Image Credit © Marion Dessard / Silicon Luxembourg)
What does your startup do exactly?
Flexible work refers to a working schedule or work location outside the usual 9 to 6 in a classic office setting. Flexible work programs come in many different forms—whether it is working part time, teleworking, or consulting. We guide companies and organizations through the process of establishing and implementing flexible programs through our 5-step consultancy program. We understand that becoming flexible has a major impact on companies’ business strategies, and managers need to make informed decisions before going flexible and follow a planned implementation strategy. The Job Tai-lors accompanies businesses through the whole process, from the decision-making phase to the implementation and guidance phase, effectively supporting companies every step of the way.
We aim to create more awareness around flexibility and its benefits for employees and employers alike, as well as to show that flexibility is part of the future of work in Luxembourg.
How did you come up with idea?
The initial thought came from personal experience. About three years ago, we found ourselves at a crossroads,as we were forced to choose between a career or family life due to the lack of flexibility at work. Speaking with family, friends and acquaintances made it very clear that we were not alone. The lack of flexibility had an impact on everyone we talked to, except the people who already worked in a flexible manner. Long and draining commutes, no time to run errands or finally go to that doctor’s appointment, a limited amount of time to spend with family and friends, and not enough time for hobbies were just a few of the responses we got. And thus, our idea was born—to launch a consultancy aiming to change the landscape in Luxembourg with regard to working conditions and workplace expectations.
“We measure the existing degree of flexibility in companies and organizations. Based on results, we advise companies and organization on measures they can take to further improve their flexibility.”
With Sabina’s past experience as an entrepreneur, we built our company with personal expertise. We thoroughly researched what has been done in other countries and companies around the world, especially in Scandinavia, the UK, and the United States, and prepared a report on how can we apply our findings to Luxembourg. Based on this analysis, we developed our consultancy program and a way to best assist companies during the transformation. We became very conscious about companies’ re-strictions and requirements, as well as local and cross-border laws. We believe implementing flexibility will create a win-win situation for employees and companies, as studies have shown that flexibility can lead to more productive employees, reduced staff turnover, and increased return on investment. In addition, flexibility will prepare Luxembourg as a country that much more for the future of work.
What are your products/services?
- We measure the existing degree of flexibility in companies and organizations. Based on results, we advise companies and organization on measures they can take to further improve their flexibility.
- We guide companies and organizations through a 5-stage program to help them implement flexibility at their company. Depending on their needs and requirements, we develop a program to include different types of flexibility, such working from alternative workplace (teleworking), job sharing, part time, etc.
- We support companies during the transformation that goes hand-in-hand with implementing flexibility, as well as the impact it has on their business strategy.
- We are specialized in implementing and training managers and staff on how to telework, best practices to consider, and how to communicate with remote team members in order to reach team targets.
- We train managers on trust management and establish new ways of managing (management by objective).
- We offer speaking engagements and workshops on topics related to flexibility, tailor-made to your interests and public.
What is your business model?
We are focused on growing our consultancy and becoming the voice of flexibility in Luxembourg. We are also open for collaborations with like-minded startups and companies that help us spread the message about flexibility and its benefits.
Every implementation we help with is different, as the program is tailor-made based in the company requirements, needs, and restrictions. We have a hands-on approach and don’t shy away from uncomfortable questions to find and implement solutions instead of simply acknowledging problems. For us, it is all about client experience and satisfaction.
“We have big plans for the future—namely, we want to go digital. We want to cover all aspects of flexibility and make it more approachable for companies.”
Who are your clients?
We work with medium-sized companies and organizations here in Luxembourg. They approach us because they face challenges that they cannot solve on their own. For example, they may wonder how to retain talent or how to manage increasing requests for change from employees.
On the other hand, we also collaborate with entities that are already going flexible. We help them train their staff, managers and teleworkers, and we guide them through the transition phase.
What are next steps in your development?
We have big plans for the future—namely, we want to go digital. We want to cover all aspects of flexibility and make it more approachable for companies.
In addition, we are working on exciting collaborations with startups and companies in order to create more awareness around the topic of flexibility and what it means for Luxembourg’s future. One of the companies we want to collaborate with is Movesion (a startup that focuses on smart mobility).
