Flexible Work Practices

RETENTION TOOLKIT
PART B: JOB CONNECTION

Flexible work Practices
Benefits of flexible work practices
Overcome initial barriers
Implement Goals
Building Blocks for a flexible work environment
Types of flexible work practices
Flexible working hours
Types of Flexible working hours
Rostered days off
12-hour shifts
Compressed working week
Working from home/telecommuting
Job Sharing
Career breaks
Childcare
Eldercare
Phased Retirement
Annualised hours

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Flexible work Practices

9.1 Benefits of flexible work practices

Cost savings

There are a number of well-documented benefits from implementing flexible work practices for business. Business outcomes may be improved by:

reducing costs associated with staff recruitment, especially by practices which facilitate return from parental leave;
reduced training costs;
reduced operating costs and overtime expenses;
better returns to business on training expenditure;
more efficient use of labour;
ensuring compliance with industrial relations, equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation; and
the development and maintenance of organisational cultures which accept change and creative solutions in order to enhance business outcomes.

Benefits from implementing flexible work practices in order to improve employee performance include:

improved employee job satisfaction by acknowledging the work/life balance and providing real options to employees to deal with the balance;
advantages in the retention (and initial recruitment) of valuable employees;
reduced labour turnover;
reduced absenteeism;
increased commitment and loyalty of employees;
improved morale; and
improved customer service.

Implementing flexible work practices requires attention to the flow of work — how, when and where work is completed. While employees and senior managers often willingly give a commitment to the development of flexible work policies, their actual implementation can be a completely different and more difficult issue.

9.2 Overcome initial barriers:

Common barriers to the implementation of flexible work practices include:

the culture of the organisation which does not recognise the impact of employees' lifestyle issues on their ability to perform to their full potential at work;
employees are assessed and rewarded on the basis of presence in the workplace rather than performance;
poor communication about the options available and the business imperative for flexible options; and
Managers or team leaders who are not skilled in managing a flexible workplace.

There are also a number of myths that obstruct managers and staff from making choices about how to implement changes to work practices and how to introduce the flexibility and work/life options that staff need. These myths are:

Client/customer work makes it impossible for flexible options to be used.
If you make an arrangement for one person, then everyone in the group will want it.
Flexible work options just means part-time work.
Employees wanting assistance to manage family responsibilities are not serious about their careers.
It is difficult to manage people who work flexible hours or who job share.
Work and family programs are about promoting women.

9.4 Implementation Goals

This process involves setting four major goals.

Goal 1: Build organisational support

Look at the ways in which work is defined/described in organisational policies. Revise the definitions in the light of current business goals and communicate them to all staff. Help employees to understand the business reasons for promoting a flexible workplace and the organisation's commitment to flexibility.

Goal 2: Support managers and users

Provide managers, supervisors and employees with guidelines and systems to carry out the organisation's commitment. This should reduce, if not eliminate, the gap between the perception and the reality of flexible arrangements.

Goal 3: Internalise the practice

Incorporate flexibility into the culture of the organisation. Then measure and evaluate the acceptance of the changes.

Goal 4: Maintain the commitment

Recognise that achieving a flexible work environment is a continuous process. The process responds to the economic climate, new demands on the work environment, and changing employee needs. Ongoing communication, monitoring, evaluation and modification of practices help to keep a flexible environment viable.

9.5 Building Blocks for a flexible work environment

Goals / Strategies
Maintain the commitment / Communicate internally about the issues / Promote flexibility externally / Implement accountability measures / Evaluate work environment and modify activities.
Internalise the practise / Incorporate into other initiatives / Create and support relationships and networks / Refine HR Department roles / Assess perceptions experiences and acceptance
Support managers and employers / Provide the tools and skill training / Evaluate effectiveness / Share models and case studies / If necessary revise the systems
Build organisational support / Define / explain the link to the business goals / Ensure and communicate senior management support / Articulate commitment to flexibility / Identify and support pilot programs.

The four goals are separate, complementary facets of any flexible structure. Like corners, if one is missing the structure falls apart. Each goal functions in the following ways:

it helps people change how they think about the how, when and where of work;
it demonstrates the organisation's commitment to a flexible environment in a substantial way;
it builds on and reinforces business objectives; and
it contributes to and supports a long-term process of change.

This model for creating flexibility is one which is readily transferable to other change processes. Approaching change strategically with sound tactics and practices is highly applicable to achieving any organisational goal.

Define and explain the link with business goals

Review the business objectives. Any changes in work structure need to have a strong business rationale. To build internal support for flexibility in the workplace, first develop an understanding of the business objectives, then communicate to the workforce the ways in which flexibility can help to meet these objectives.

Steps to take

Examine the objectives of the business and consider how greater flexibility and new ways of working can assist the organisation to meet those goals.
Identify the needs of employees, and the many reasons why alternative options may assist them.
Conduct a work/life needs assessment that includes the issues pertaining to flexibility and work scheduling, in order to understand the needs of employees and managers.
Conduct focus groups to collect qualitative data on employee and management needs.
Interview managers to identify the impact of work/life conflicts and of greater flexibility on their Key Result Areas. Ask them how they could evaluate work performance changes in their area.
Publish the results of the research, and use the data as a basis of focus group discussions to identify the most appropriate flexible options for your organisation.
Consult managers and supervisors about the most appropriate next steps.

Ensure and communicate senior management support

The commitment and involvement of senior management is critical to successful efforts to reorganise work. Senior management must make it clear that managing flexibility provides a competitive advantage and is therefore a business issue.

Steps to take

Reinforce the role of the CEO and senior managers as supporters of flexible work practices.
Communicate that commitment through briefings, newsletters and other internal communication processes.
Make sure that all levels of management have been involved in identifying the issues for the organisation, and in building the business case.
Include flexible working and staffing practices among the organisation's business goals, and the strategic planning processes.
Have a specific communications plan to ensure that the benefits of flexibility are continuously communicated. Many managers have difficulty understanding the importance of a flexible approach. They need to be reminded about the benefits and their importance on a regular basis.
Encourage senior management to adopt a flexible approach to their own work. Role models at all levels of the organisation can make a significant impact, and help to educate others about what approaches can work.
Demonstrate senior management commitment to flexibility in human resources management policies.

Articulate the organisation's commitment to flexibility

Many organisations allow flexible work arrangements on an informal basis. This may be as a business strategy or because of legal concerns, equity considerations or the desire to avoid ``reinventing the wheel'' each time someone requests a particular arrangement. Articulate the organisation's commitment to flexibility in a written form — it could be a detailed corporate policy, a set of guidelines of suggested practices, or a simple statement. It could also be inserted into an enterprise agreement. The organisational culture will dictate the appropriate form. Once the commitment is in writing, be sure to disseminate it widely and often.

Steps to take

Disseminate the information widely. Use as many communication processes as possible.
Conduct briefing sessions for managers/supervisors and staff. Include flexible work practices topics as part of regular management meetings.
Provide information that explains how employees can instigate flexibility in their own work areas, for example, information such as ``Guidelines for Employees to Build Their Own Business Case for Flexible Options''.
Incorporate the materials into existing training programs. Include case studies and role plays on managing flexibility.

Identify and support pilot programs

A pilot program can demonstrate to management and employees how flexible arrangements can work. It can fine-tune a policy and help to resolve any lingering or ongoing issues. Pilot programs can also help to build internal commitment by serving as a gentle introduction to the change process.

Steps to take

Start in small locations where there is a high probability of success. This will allow issues that had been overlooked to be addressed before moving on to a larger-scale implementation.
Establish performance criteria that will enable progress to be monitored and evaluated.
Pilot specific options that will be most suited to the needs of the people and their roles.
Select work groups, staff members and managers who are most likely to be successful.

Provide the tools

To ensure a consistent approach to the implementation of flexible work practices, managers and employees need written guidelines for managing flexible arrangements. Three options are commonly used:

policy documents that outline the organisation's approach to flexibility and the options available;
“how to” guides for managers; and
Materials for employees that explain the specific arrangements and provide examples of the way in which employees can prepare their applications for flexible work practices.

Steps to take

Prepare a work/life information kit that includes typical questions and answers about flexible options.
Provide the resources to calculate wages/salary and other benefits and entitlements for people who wish to work reduced hours.
Provide a flexible options request form that enables employees to build their own business case for flexibility. Supply similar materials for managers to assist them to understand the employee's needs, assess the impact of the request on the productivity of the individual and the team, and identify other options where the original request cannot be approved.
Explain how decisions on approving flexible work arrangements will be made.
Establish a job-share register.
Provide ``model'' flexible work agreements.

Strategy: Evaluate effectiveness of flexible work practices

Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the arrangements on a regular basis. Identify and measure what has been achieved and focus on the impact of the arrangement on the workplace.

Steps to take

At the end of the trial period (say three months) formally evaluate the process.
Consult with and involve staff about how to conduct the evaluation.
Check that individual performance and work objectives have been achieved.
Assess the need for specific ``flexibility'' training for staff and their managers.
Survey the stakeholders (including clients and internal/external customers) to determine their perceptions of the impact of the flexible work options.
Study the workloads of those on reduced time schedules and assess whether the load is reasonable.

Share models and case studies

Publicise detailed descriptions of successful initiatives to provide examples and models for managers and other employees who are considering the implementation of flexible options. These examples encourage others who want to work flexibly and help to dispel myths and negative beliefs about flexibility.

Steps to take

Communicate successes at team meetings and through management briefings, Intranets and corporate brochures.
Incorporate successful case studies into existing training sessions and role plays.
Feature people in different jobs who have different reasons for working flexibly.
Apply for external recognition through corporate awards schemes such as the Work and Family or Affirmative Action Awards.

Review and revise the systems

The current corporate culture may be a barrier to change. Formal and informal systems of head counts and reporting of employee ``productivity'' are examples of this. Informal work practices such as scheduling team meetings for early in the day, or conducting ``breakfast meetings'', all show a lack of support for workplace flexibility. It is critical that human resources management practices and the business's work practices support the publicised commitment to flexibility.

Steps to take

Review the working week or working day. Can the bandwidth of hours or core hours be extended or changed to better meet people's needs?
Focus on redefining ``flexibility'' in terms of work requirements and output rather than formal work schedules and presence in the workplace.
Try to spread the workload to avoid peaks and troughs. Where this is not possible, review the possibility of employing some staff on a seasonal basis. This might be attractive to employees on parental leave or career breaks.
Professional firms could consider changing billing practices from hourly charges to project fees.

Incorporate flexibility into other business initiatives

In the past, flexibility, EEO policies and affirmative action programs have been isolated within human resources management strategies. Where this has happened the programs have been marginalised and have therefore been of little value. They need to be integrated into other corporate programs such as diversity management initiatives, or included in enterprise agreements. Making the link between business practices and flexibility results in a more integrated approach.

One critical aspect of this integration is to include flexibility issues in management training programs and regular briefing sessions.

Steps to take

Link flexibility to business objectives and other company initiatives. These might include diversity management, customer service initiatives, Total Quality Management and reengineering.
Incorporate flexibility into educational activities, such as team building programs, leadership training and project management.
Include flexible work practices options on the agenda for enterprise bargaining.

Consistently communicate internally about the issues

Include flexible work practices as part of day-to-day discussions with staff and their managers. This helps to maintain the focus and interest in the culture change process.

Step to take

Integrate the organisation's commitment to flexibility into its mission and vision statements. Many of Australia's Work and Family Award winning organisations have a commitment to flexibility as part of their vision statements.

Seek ways to promote flexibility externally

External publicity raises the profile of the business, particularly where the benefits of flexibility are linked to the needs of employees and their work and lifestyle responsibilities. Features and articles which emphasise the positive results for the business help to educate customers, senior managers, and future employees.

Positive publicity supports the efforts of managers who have worked hard to achieve flexibility and encourages those who still need to be convinced of the benefits.

Steps to take

Make presentations at management meetings, professional groups, and conferences.
Talk about the benefits of flexible work practices with clients.
Mention particular achievements in annual reports.
Write articles for business journals and human resources magazines. Present results and case studies at seminars, conferences, etc.
Contribute to Internet resources and Web pages.

Implement accountability measures

Assess/appraise managers' performance in the management of flexible work practices. Focus on the achievement of productivity objectives alongside flexibility goals.

Steps to take

Include managing flexibility and diversity as Key Result Areas in managers' and supervisors' performance assessments.
Evaluate how effectively managers deal with people who have different needs.
Include management flexibility and diversity in the ratings for merit-based rewards.
Recognise and reward achievements in managing and promoting flexible work practices.

Evaluate work environment and modify activities

Monitor and evaluate whether flexible work initiatives are meeting the needs of both employees and the business. Identify whether or not the original objectives were met.

Steps to take

Confirm the long-term goals of flexible work practices for the business.
Identify how success will be measured. Measures might include the number of people being able to work flexibly, the degree of understanding from peers and managers, return rates from parental leave or career breaks, levels of absenteeism and trends in customer satisfaction levels.
Set up a process to monitor progress and communicate the findings to senior management.

9. 6 TYPES OF FLEXIBLE WORK PRACTICES

This section provides information on a wide range of specific types of flexible work practices. It covers both actual working arrangements as well as some services (such as childcare and eldercare) which can be provided both to support the operation of flexible work practices and to facilitate employees' attendance at work.