making flexible work a success ssa release dec 2011

making flexible work a success iii

making flexible work a successa guide for public sector managers and employees

making flexible work a successa guide for public sector managers and employees

ii making flexible work a success

The Victorian Government has vested the State Services Authority with functions designed to foster the development of an efficient, integrated and responsive public sector which is highly ethical, accountable and professional in the ways it delivers services to the Victorian community.

The key functions of the Authority are to:

• identify opportunities to improve the delivery and integration of government services and report on service delivery outcomes and standards;

• promote high standards of integrity and conduct in the public sector;

• strengthen the professionalism and adaptability of the public sector; and

• promote high standards of governance, accountability and performance for public entities.

The Authority seeks to achieve its charter by working closely and collaboratively with public sector departments and agencies.

contact us

at the State Services AuthorityEmail: [email protected]: (03) 9651 1321Fax: (03) 9651 1883

www.ssa.vic.gov.au

Postal Address:3 Treasury PlaceMelbourne 3002

© Copyright State Government of Victoria State Services Authority 2011

First published 2005 Revised October 2011 ISBN 978-1-921831-65-2

contents

about this guide 2

1. what is flexible work and why have it? 4

defining flexible work 4the organisational benefits from flexible work arrangements 5barriers to work-life balance 8

2. roles and responsibilities 10

the role of leaders 10the role of managers 11the role of employees 12the role of teams 13

3. types of flexible work arrangements 15

tips for assessing the suitability of options 15part-time work 16job sharing 16working from home/telecommuting 17flexible attendance arrangements 18purchased leave arrangements 19breastfeeding and lactation breaks 20other leave arrangements 21some matters for consideration 22

4. the flexible work toolkit 23

tool 1: self-assessment on managing flexible work 25tool 2: self-assessment on what type of flexible arrangement will work best 26tool 3: proposal for flexible arrangements 28tool 4: assessing a flexible work request 29tool 5: what if a proposal does not meet approval criteria? 30tool 6: review of flexible arrangements for team planning discussions 32tool 7: sample team planning meeting agenda 33tool 8: manager’s checklist for implementing flexible arrangements 34tool 9: flexible work design checklist 35tool 10: formal review of flexible work arrangements 36

5. bibliography 37

further resources and information support 38

2 making flexible work a success

about this guide

why use this guide

Flexible work has many benefits including attracting and retaining valued staff. Knowing the right course of action when dealing with a flexible work request is essential for compliance with workplace agreements and laws, as well as balancing the needs of all parties. With this guide, you can:

• learn more about the process for assessing, implementing or reviewing flexible work arrangements;

• increase your awareness of the responsibilities of all parties to flexible work arrangements;

• identify success factors and obstacles to implementation; and

• increase understanding of the grounds for approving or declining a flexible work proposal.

who should use this guide

• managers and employees within Victorian public sector organisations; and

• human resources representatives.

when to use this guide

• when planning, assessing, implementing or reviewing flexible work arrangements;

• if you are promoted to management, read this guide during induction to your new role; and

• as a reference to look up ideas to help deal with challenges you may face in implementing and managing flexible arrangements.

what’s in this guide?

• tools to help managers, employees and teams plan, assess, implement and review flexible work arrangements;

• descriptions of various flexible work options with case studies and tips; and

• background information such as the organisational benefits of flexible work arrangements and potential barriers to implementation.

what’s not covered

This guide does not describe or replace specific organisational policies or industrial agreements. These will vary across the public sector. Please see your manager or HR representative for guidance.

making flexible work a success 3

assumptions

This guide assumes that you are aware of your organisation’s policies on flexible work arrangements and other HR matters. It also acknowledges that businesses and individuals have diverse needs and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

further resources available from the SSA website

• The tools in this guide are available as Word documents, to promote their use in your work unit.

• 17 Flexible Work Myths and Facts answers common questions about what is involved in considering, implementing and reviewing flexible work arrangements. This supports the manager in ensuring that arrangements are beneficial to all parties. <www.ssa.vic.gov.au>


This section provides an introduction to flexible work arrangements and includes:

• a definition of flexible work arrangements;

• the organisational benefits from flexible work arrangements; and

• the potential barriers to implementing flexible work arrangements.

defining flexible work

There is a variety of short- and long-term provisions and practices that come under the umbrella of flexible work arrangements. The flexibility may relate to when, where and how work is done.

Flexible work measures can be grouped into the following categories:

• paid and unpaid leave provisions such as parental leave, adoption leave, personal/carer’s leave, purchased leave (e.g. 48/52), special leave, bereavement leave, study leave and career breaks; and

• flexible working hours arrangements including part-time work, job sharing, flexible start and finish times, compressed working weeks, term-time work, time banking, annualised hours schemes, employee choice rostering and other non-standard work arrangements such as working from home, telecommuting or transitioning to retirement.

Related support measures can include child care services, school holiday programs, breastfeeding/lactation facilities, counselling and referral services (e.g. employee assistance programs) and information resources (e.g. parenting seminars, health promotions, financial and retirement planning).

The flexible work arrangements that succeed are those featuring mutually beneficial agreements that serve the interests of the organisation as well as the individuals involved.

who wants to work this way and why?

Work-life balance is highly personal and it can mean different things to different people at different stages in their lives. The broad concept is employees want the opportunity for quality work balanced with a personal life. Individual priorities may range from caring for family members, contributing to the community, maintaining their health and wellbeing, studying, transitioning to retirement, through to participating in leisure activities.

While the demographics of the workforce may change over time, the desire for flexibility can be found across all age groups and occupations.

1. what is flexible work and why have it?


the organisational benefits from flexible work arrangements

There is a vast body of research available in the public domain that shows how organisations can benefit from more flexible work practices. Research by the State Services Authority (SSA) has found the case for flexible work arrangements in the public sector is influenced particularly by:

• organisational benefits;

• attracting and retaining valued employees;

• compliance with legislation; and

• changing community needs and expectations.

organisational benefits

Organisations are always concerned with costs. Benefits can be derived from implementing flexible work arrangements effectively:

• Reduced turnover – Quantitative and qualitative data from the public sector shows that employees on flexible arrangements generally have higher levels of job satisfaction than colleagues who do not. They also tend to have lower levels of intentions to leave. Participants in SSA focus groups expressed appreciation of their flexible arrangements and spoke of increased loyalty to their work unit. The cost of turnover can range from 50% to 150% of annual salary, depending on the role. Therefore any reduction in turnover can make a big difference to the budget of a work unit and organisation.

• Lower stress and greater productivity – SSA research found employees on flexible arrangements tended to report lower levels of stress. A 2010 VicHealth study (The Age, 2010) found that excessive job strain resulting in depression cost businesses more than $8000 per person every year – this figure is based on lost productivity and employee replacement. According to Medibank Private-commissioned research (Medibank, 2008), an average 3.2 days per worker are lost annually due to workplace stress while healthy employees are significantly more productive than unhealthy employees.

What they said...

The motivation and engagement of employees is a huge factor for success.

VPS executive


attracting and retaining valued employees

Employers who offer flexible arrangements have a useful mechanism for attracting and retaining valuable employees:

• Improved employer attractiveness – Hiring managers reported increased candidate fields when formerly full-time jobs are re-advertised with the option of negotiating flexible arrangements. Work-life balance is the third most important attribute for attracting candidates (CLC, 2008). Given the trend towards a ‘job seekers’ market’1 with relatively low unemployment rates and an aging workforce, there will be an increasing demand for roles that provide flexibility.

• ‘Employ the best, not what’s available’ – Flexible arrangements are a tool to keep experienced, capable employees. Managers recognise that the productivity associated with high-level skills and experience cannot be replaced easily by a newcomer, even one prepared to work longer hours. For those with employees transitioning to retirement, they have used the opportunity to promote knowledge transfer and mentoring. Others have reported that flexible employment arrangements have boosted their ability to attract the best people in their sector, regardless of location.

• Contemporary performance management practices – According to line managers, the most successful flexible arrangements, especially telecommuting, have clear performance objectives based on outputs and outcomes. They do not rely on old-style supervision of start and finish hours. Consistent and focused performance management processes have a valuable role in engaging and retaining talented employees (Glen, 2006).

• Increased job satisfaction – Data from the People Matter Survey (SSA, 2010) shows that the third biggest driver of job satisfaction is work-life balance. It has been also been found there is a relationship between job satisfaction and intention to leave. Therefore it would appear that satisfaction with access to flexible arrangements, as a means to achieve work-life balance, would be a factor in employees’ decisions to stay with an organisation.

• Reduced conflict – When employees and managers share a common understanding of which types of arrangements are possible (and which are not), this could prevent the avoidable costs associated with grievances and mediation as well as lost productivity.

• Employer branding – The Victorian Government careers website promotes attraction and retention of talented employees with benefits and conditions that encourage work-life balance as well as a culture that values diversity, innovation and adaptability.

What they said...

Managers need the capability to manage staff on different arrangements and staff need capability to manage their workload and ICT.

manager, education sector

1 Victoria’s unemployment rate has decreased over the last decade, from 6.4% in September 2001 to 5.2% in September 2011 (ABS, 2011a)


compliance with legislation, standards and agreements

Organisations need to be aware of their minimum legal obligations:

• National employment standards and fair work – The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) provides employees with a legal right to request flexible working arrangements if they have certain care responsibilities (e.g. child under school age, disabled child under 18). Employers may only refuse a request on reasonable business grounds. Also, employers must provide a written response to a request within 21 days, including reasons if the request is refused. (Fair Work Ombudsman, 2011). Penalties for breaches of the Act are administered by the Fair Work Ombudsman on behalf of the federal government.

• Equal opportunity – The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person because they have family responsibilities; for example, in determining who should be offered a job or given a promotion. The Act also requires employers to consider reasonable requests made by workers to adjust their working arrangements so they can meet their caring responsibilities. This means that an employer should not refuse flexible work arrangements for workers with caring responsibilities without considering all of the circumstances. (Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2011)

• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) – Sections 21 and 22 set out the employer’s duties to employees including a safe working environment and monitoring the health of employees. The maximum penalties for breaches of the Act are $1,075,050 for a body corporate and $215,010 for individuals. (WorkSafe, 2011)

• The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) – Legislation provides employees with further protection from discrimination on the grounds of breastfeeding and family responsibilities.

• The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) – protects individuals from direct and indirect discrimination in employment matters.

• Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic) – Section 8 of the Act sets out public sector employment principles including fair and reasonable treatment of employees, equal employment opportunity and recognition of human rights. In addition to the legislation, there are employment principles that underpin flexible work arrangements. These are highlighted in the public sector guidelines and standards issued by the Public Sector Standards Commissioner.

• Enterprise agreements – Employers and employees need to be aware of relevant enterprise agreements applying to their workplace. Agreements may contain clauses relating to workload or hours of work. For example, the VPS Agreement (2009 extended and varied version, cl 33.2.1) states ‘…The ordinary hours of work shall, by agreement, be worked flexibly to best meet both the Employer’s work requirements and the Employee’s personal and/or family circumstances.’


changing community needs and expectations

Organisations need to be aware of community expectations that may influence employment arrangements:

• Gender roles and trends are changing – Victorian public sector workforce data from 2010 showed for the first time more males than females taking carers leave. It is important to avoid assumptions about the care responsibilities of either gender.

• Client expectations of extended hours of service – Studies indicate an increasing expectation that citizens should experience the same quality of service from government as they do in dealings with the private sector (Information Victoria, 2010). Work arrangements that involve flexible start and finish times across a work unit such as later hours or Saturday services enable extended service hours.

• Increasing incidence of mobile and online service delivery – The majority of Australian households are connected to the Internet (ABS, 2011b) and there is a rapid increase in use of mobile handsets (ABS, 2011c). How clients and citizens choose to interact with service and information is driving innovation in service models. This in turn is driving the development or recruitment of employees who have the interest and capability to work flexibly or work in virtual teams. This can open the possibilities for recruiting employees who live and work in regional Victoria, interstate or overseas.

• Increasing numbers of staff approaching retirement – While the workforce data shows lower rates of part-time employment for employees in executive or senior management roles, it is also notable that organisations are reporting an increase in the number of these employees requesting part-time work in the transition to retirement.2

• Impact on environment and changed transport use – Increasing pressure on roads and public transport is a community concern as well as a matter for government planning. Work arrangements such as flexible start and finish times promote use of off-peak transport while working from home may reduce use of motor vehicles.

barriers to work-life balance

There are a number of well-documented barriers that may inhibit employees achieving the work-life balance they desire and managers achieving a productive work environment. These barriers include:

• Management skills and attitudes – including managers needing to be more aware of the flexible options that are available and the business benefits that may arise from greater flexibility; managers being more supportive of, and able to negotiate, mutually beneficial flexible work arrangements with individuals and teams; managers having the ability to undertake more complex work planning and performance management associated with having flexible employees; and a desire for senior managers to act as role models or champion work-life balance issues;

2 The federal government has identified improving participation rates for mature age workers as one of the long-term challenges for the economy in the report, Australia to 2050: future challenges. It is funding research to help build an evidence base around strengthening the workforce participation of mature age people.<www.deewr.gov.au>


• Employee inflexibility – including employees resisting flexibility once their hours are negotiated when there are changes to work volume or complexity; inability to hold meetings if a large number of team members are part time or on different schedules; inability to cover unplanned absences with other team members;

• The persistence of traditional workplace cultures – including long work hours cultures where hours (not results) are rewarded; a perceived hierarchy of ‘deserving causes’ where some requests are considered more worthy than others; potential gender bias where it is presumed males have little or no care responsibilities; and the obstacles to career development, underpinned by the view that employees on flexible arrangements are less dedicated to work;

• The lack of appropriate supports, systems and services – including inflexible childcare arrangements that do not accommodate sudden changes in working hours or sick children, and a lack of adequate respite services for other dependants.

What they said...

Monitoring the performance of employees and their workload is difficult for some managers. Fundamentally it is a performance management issue. Managers need to give and receive feedback.

HR executive

What’s happened to my career?

When some employees enter into flexible work arrangements, they may experience career obstacles they’d never anticipated. These can include reduced access to development activities, work responsibilities below their capability, or fewer job opportunities. While employees are usually grateful for the benefits that come with flexible arrangements, it can be difficult to come to terms with the costs, especially if they have previously made a big investment in their career.

Reduced face time can make it more difficult to build or maintain professional relationships that are important to growing a career. (By the way, face-to-face communication also helps build trust and rapport.) Therefore employees on reduced contact hours or working remotely in particular need to guard against professional isolation and invisibility.

Everyone has different career goals and there is a huge variety of productive career paths. Some people choose a short period of part-time work, before returning to full-time work. Others have developed successful careers while using flexible work options. It is true, however, that some work opportunities may not always be available if you are working part-time or remotely.

Many senior managers have had periods of part-time work during their careers. They have used the opportunity to review their skills and broaden their experience and knowledge.

If you are feeling uncertain about your status, it may be worthwhile doing a stocktake of your current skills and reassess the reality of your expectations. Seek feedback from your colleagues. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover you have developed certain capabilities (e.g. ability to multitask, more focus and concentration, better time management, improved decisiveness, greater adaptability and agility).


Flexible work arrangements are a positive and valuable feature of public sector employment. When managed well, flexible work arrangements boost productivity and engagement and help employees to maintain work-life balance. Flexible work arrangements help to retain valued staff and attract new talent. They foster loyalty and productivity. The benefits were summed up by one public sector manager as ‘It’s not the hours you put in, it’s what you put into those hours.’

Flexible work arrangements are not static agreements. Working flexibly involves a continuous process of planning−implementation−review: individual circumstances change as do business requirements. These arrangements can be adjusted to ensure they meet the changing needs of employees and organisations.

‘As an employee in the Victorian public sector you have both responsibilities and privileges’

Public Sector Standards Commissioner 2006, Taking the High Road: A development guide for employees

Further information on the responsibilities and privileges of public sector employees is available in the codes of conduct and the Public Sector Standards Commissioner’s standards on how to apply the employment principles. These publications can be downloaded from the State Services Authority website <www.ssa.vic.gov.au>

the role of leaders

If work-life balance initiatives are going to successfully assist organisations meet business needs, and help employees meet their personal work-life balance aspirations, it is important for leaders to ensure the organisation is ready and able to adapt to new ways of working.

Research highlights the positive effect that leaders can have in driving successful change by demonstrating real commitment and support to needed initiatives.

To make flexible work successful, leaders should:

• encourage and actively promote flexible work arrangements throughout their organisation wherever possible;

• engage with managers to discuss possibilities and barriers for flexible work across their organisation; and

• support the development of, and implement, policies and guidelines to assist managers and staff explore and implement flexible work options.

2. roles and responsibilities


the role of managers

Supportive line management is critical for the successful implementation of flexible work practices. As the ‘gatekeepers’ of workplace flexibility, managers play an essential role in interpreting and implementing flexible work policies and practices. They should:

• consider all flexible work proposals with an open mind by exploring the possibilities of new ways of working;

• engage with staff about flexible work options and discuss with teams the reasons why particular flexible work options may or may not be suited to your business unit;

• be aware of relevant legislation, standards and agreements that may influence decision-making;

• incorporate flexible work options into team planning to ensure workloads are managed and the team remains supportive and cohesive while implementing these arrangements;

• document and regularly review flexible work arrangements to ensure continuing benefit to all parties involved; and

• model a healthy work-life balance as much as possible — employees often follow the work style of their immediate manager.

Test your knowledge: Understanding responsibilities and rights

Question 1. Shelley has decided she needs to work from home today. She has her files in her briefcase, so she has everything necessary to put in a good day’s work. She sends a text to her manager’s mobile to let her know what’s happening. Is this OK?

Question 2. Tony’s caregiver responsibilities have changed. He has decided it would work better for him if he changed around his days and hours of work. Tony is part-time. Can this be done?

Question 3. When Maya went on maternity leave, she expected to eventually return to work part-time. Others had done this in her organisation. While she was on maternity leave, her work unit was restructured. Her manager told her, while she’s on leave, that she will have to return to work full time because of the changed nature of work. She refused the role so another person was appointed to the role. Upon her return to work, she is placed in a part-time role, but of lower status. Is this OK?

Question 4. Eric asked his manager to change his work hours so he could start later and finish later. Eric has a mental illness and wants to avoid crowded peak hour trains. The manager refuses to approve the request because it could open the floodgates for requests by others. Can the manager do this?

Question 5. Simone is on maternity leave. She wants to return to her old job in the crisis response team, but cut her time down to two days per week. Her manager says the service requirements of her job demand a full-timer. So she is offering a different job which suits Simone’s skills, at the same level and status. Is the manager doing the right thing?


Answers

Q1. This is problematic. Depending on the organisation’s working from home policy and workplace agreements, this may become a conduct issue, especially if there has been no prior agreement or understanding with the manager.

Q2. Employees’ hours of work are covered by clauses in workplace agreements. While it is expected that ‘agreement by the employer will not be unreasonably with held’, there is requirement for agreement between employee and employer. Therefore Tony needs to seek agreement from his manager. He cannot make the change based on a unilateral decision.

Q3. No. A similar case formed the basis of a complaint lodged under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. The matter was conciliated and the employee received an undisclosed severance payment.*

Q4. No. Each request for flexibility needs to be considered on its own merits. What’s more, a similar case formed the basis of a complaint lodged under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. *

Q5. Yes. The manager can refuse the request on reasonable business grounds. In this instance, the role required the employee to respond to client crises or attend court hearings the next day. It would be unworkable to constantly switch cases between case workers to accommodate Simone’s work hours and potentially detrimental to client service. Instead Simone is being provided with a role equivalent in status and pay that suits her skills.

* For more information on workplace discrimination and case studies, refer to the Australian Human Rights Commission <www.humanrights.gov.au>

the role of employees

All employees play a vital role in achieving mutually beneficial outcomes from flexible work options. As different people need different types of flexibility at various times in their working lives, it is important that employees communicate effectively with their managers. In this way, employees and managers can work together to find ways of working that achieve a better work-life balance while also helping the work unit achieve its goals.

Employees need to:

• develop a proposal for flexible work arrangements that addresses the needs of the business unit and the impact the arrangements may have;

• understand that not all flexible work options are suited to each role – be flexible in your approach and implementation;

• implement strategies to ensure effective implementation – this will include communication with your manager and team, work planning and prioritising and regular assessment; and

• engage in regular review and assessment of your arrangements to ensure the arrangements remain mutually beneficial.

See the flexible work toolkit in chapter 4 for help with developing, implementing or reviewing a proposal.


What they said...

[regarding use of mobiles] There are times when I am happy to be contacted, and likewise there can be times when I am off limits. When my work arrangements were approved, I discussed these boundaries with my manager. I put my days of work on my email signature and let my colleagues know when it’s OK to ring me on the mobile.

employee, VPS

What would you do?

Maria manages a corporate services unit with 14 employees. A significant proportion of the team has some form of flexible work arrangement. Maria checks her business and staffing plan quarterly to ensure customer service is maintained across the working week as well as over busy holiday periods. One of her team, Rhonda, is on 12 months maternity leave. The problem is that 12 months is nearly up and Maria is uncertain whether Rhonda will return to work on a part-time basis as originally agreed. Rhonda made some comments during a ‘keeping in touch’ phone call that she might like some more time off. However, Rhonda has not been returning Maria’s phone calls or emails over the past month.

Maria is having difficulty working out her staffing roster for the coming months. Should she extend the contract of the fixed-term employee? Can she force Rhonda to return to work? What would you advise?

Tip: Refer to your organisation’s policies and enterprise bargaining agreements.

Possible approach

In this case, the organisation was a public service department. According to the Victorian public service agreement (2009 extended and varied version), Rhonda has an obligation to communicate with her employer about her intentions:

cl. 46.16.1 An Employee will notify of their intention to return to work after a period of parental leave at least four weeks prior to the expiration of the leave.

cl. 46.18.2 The Employee shall take reasonable steps to inform the Employer about any significant matter that will affect the Employee’s decision regarding the duration of parental leave to be taken, whether the Employee intends to return to work and whether the Employee intends to request to return to work on a part-time basis.

the role of teams

Flexible work arrangements affect whole teams and they play a vital role in ensuring the successful implementation of flexible work arrangements. There may be work to be redistributed, and team members must work together to develop efficient communications strategies to ensure the business continues to operate well.


Teams need to:

• understand that the need for flexible work arrangements can arise at any stage during an individual’s career and such arrangements can vary over time;

• participate in opportunities to discuss work planning;

• be open in these discussions and bring all issues to the table;

• identify creative ways of reorganising work and providing business coverage; and

• respect the efforts of colleagues who are on flexible work arrangements, to promote a supportive culture.

What they said...

More than half my team is on flexible arrangements so we adapted the times and days of team meetings to fit the variety of schedules. The whole team catches up every two months. Since the meetings are scheduled around different days, no-one misses out completely.

manager, water sector

Case StudyBuilding relationships and heading off potential misconduct

A work unit within a large department had three changes of manager within the past 12 months. When the latest manager, Julian, was appointed, he notified team members that he would be reviewing all their flexible arrangements.

Marty was annoyed. The previous (acting) manager was antagonistic and had challenged the validity of his arrangement. He was incensed that now another manager was going to quiz him. Marty wanted to keep his two days a week working from home arrangement and was getting ready for another fight.

Julian was initially intimidated by Marty’s refusal to discuss conditions of employment. He was on the edge of talking to his HR representative about a potential misconduct case. Then he realised he had a big job to establish trust and credibility with his whole team, who were still affected by their previous negative experiences. He worked with the team to establish principles for the use of various flexible work arrangements and how success would be measured. They agreed on the purpose of reviewing arrangements – that the mutual benefits would be examined as well as any adjustments required.

Julian worked with his team to establish a performance management system based on recognition of outcomes, replacing the previous culture of clocking up time in the office. Over time, Marty realised that Julian wasn’t ‘out to get him’; but that here was an opportunity for Marty to demonstrate his value to the unit and how he was able to work more productively under his existing arrangements.


There are many mutually beneficial flexible work options available. However, not all options will be available in, or suitable for, every organisation or work unit.

This section covers the most common types of arrangements and includes:

• tips for assessing the suitability of options;

• part-time work;

• job sharing;

• working from home/telecommuting;

• flexible attendance arrangements;

• breastfeeding and lactation breaks;

• other leave arrangements; and

• some matters for consideration.

tips for assessing the suitability of options

Managers and employees should consider the following when exploring flexible work options:

• Understanding the benefits and barriers to flexible work and the underpinning principles can help you assess the suitability of flexible work options. Refer to ‘the organisational benefits from flexible work arrangements’ in chapter 1.

• Arrangements may be made up of a combination of various flexible work and leave options. However, not all arrangements are suited to all work responsibilities or individual needs. For example, working from home is obviously unsuited to school teaching or direct care roles. In some cases, however, it may be possible to undertake a trial of the arrangements to get more evidence and work out whether arrangements may be adjusted to work for both parties.

• Check your organisation’s policies and enterprise agreements to see which arrangements are available for your workplace.

• Consideration must always be given to the impact on service delivery and the business needs of the work area. (For example, an employee who only wants to work between 10 am and 2.30 pm may not be accommodated if alternative cover is not reasonably available for other times.)

• Implementation may require redesigning the work of other people in the work unit (in the above example, other people in the team may be able to cover different periods with all achieving greater flexibility).

• Manager and co-worker support are essential. Refer to ‘roles and responsibilities’ in chapter 2. Also the flexible work toolkit in chapter 4 provides worksheets that will help team planning and discussions.

3. types of flexible work arrangements


• Successful implementation requires flexibility on the part of the manager and the employee, and some capacity for changing arrangements as personal or organisational needs evolve.

• Common-sense, coupled with an open attitude, often ensures a win-win situation for both employee and the organisation. Remember that many flexible arrangements are subject to negotiation between employee and manager.

part-time work

Part-time work is classified as less than 38 hours per week (76 hours per fortnight). Part-time employees have continuity of employment and accrue cumulative benefits, such as annual leave, sick leave, maternity and long service leave on a pro-rata basis. Part-time work is one of the most frequently used flexible work options.

Part-time work can also involve a reduction in hours over the short or medium term, rather than ongoing. It may be used to help a phased return from maternity, family or other extended leave, or to help a gradual transition to retirement.

Case StudyPart-time work as a retention strategy

A work unit in a regional health organisation has 16 employees. An issue facing the manager is that it is hard to replace staff who leave, due to a small local labour market. Therefore, she believes in offering conditions that help reduce turnover and keep skills within the team. A large percentage of her team are on flexible arrangements, particularly part time. The manager concedes that it can be challenging to plan and organise the team’s work. However, she is happy that she has retained a large number of senior, experienced staff who provide great value to the organisation.

job sharing

Job sharing involves the voluntary sharing of a set of duties and responsibilities between (usually) two employees.

Job sharing arrangements can be very flexible and tailored to suit a variety of circumstances. Some job share arrangements work with two x 0.6 positions and this provides for a brief overlap of time when both employees are at work. In other job share arrangements, such as two x 0.5 positions, employees might use a communication book or similar strategy to ensure relevant information is passed on or they might contact each other informally. In other examples, job sharers work at different work sites to provide cross-site coverage of a function.


Case StudyPitching a job share arrangement during recruitment process

A fixed term, full-time job was advertised at a central agency. The work was specialised. None of the applicants had the required skills. Two part-time employees from another agency pitched a job share proposal for the role. Both employees had the exact skill sets needed. The proposal detailed how the job share would work, and the benefits to the agency. The proposal also identified potential risks and what workarounds could be implemented to counter these. The agency CEO was pleased to fill a vacancy with experienced staff as well as try out a new working arrangement that aligned with organisational goals.

At the end of the project, the employees found ongoing roles in the agency on different projects and at different time fractions.

working from home/telecommuting

Working from home/telecommuting involves employees undertaking work-related tasks away from the regular workplace. The evolution of workplace technologies allows greater flexibility than ever before.

Facilities for telecommuting, such as a computer or laptop, a modem and Internet access, mobile or smart phones may be required.

Working from home/telecommuting arrangements cover a range of time schedules. Often there is some requirement to spend part of the work week at the regular workplace to ensure continuity of communication, minimise isolation and provide access to facilities not available away from the regular place of work.

practical arrangements

The following questions need to be answered before establishing a working from home/telecommuting arrangement:

• What are the costs of establishing a home office and who will pay?

• Have the occupational health and safety issues been considered and addressed? (check your organisation’s working from home/telecommuting policy)

• Is the home or remote office suitable for working efficiently, free from distractions or interruptions?

• Who covers insurance?

• Do the arrangements ensure privacy and security for organisational information and equipment?

• If it is a long-term arrangement, what can be done to mitigate potential personal and professional isolation?

In addition, check some matters for consideration on page 22.


Case study Assessing a working from home request

A number of staff in a city-based team have used flexible work arrangements, either permanently or ad hoc. There was one staff member, Loretta, who was working part-time and asked the manager Yasmin for approval to try working from home so that she could increase her hours to full-time. Yasmin had misgivings about Loretta’s ability to succeed in the arrangement because she had two young children at home. The organisation’s policy was that working from home arrangements were not to be used as a substitute for child care.

Yasmin expressed concern and discussed the organisation’s policy with Loretta, helping her identify the numerous risks associated with the proposal. Yasmin emphasised Loretta’s high level of performance and continuing value to the organisation. Yasmin then asked Loretta to reconsider or defer her proposal. Loretta agreed to consider other work arrangements while she sorted out her childcare arrangements.

Case study Location is no barrier to attracting the best people

A remote regional organisation has overcome the tyranny of distance to recruit the best people to provide education services. There were insufficient people locally with the required capability to teach a specialised subject online. The manager of the unit has recruited staff from interstate and overseas who had the required skills. Time differences and location are no barrier. The manager is happy to have the best people. The courses are provided online and these new staff are helping to address the burgeoning demand for online places.

flexible attendance arrangements

These arrangements enable an employee and their manager to negotiate start and finish times, and for employees to take time off without loss of salary. This is usually approved on the basis that work rescheduling is possible, or that lost time will be made up.

Flexible attendance arrangements include:

• flexible start and finish times;

• flexitime schemes that feature the accrual of flex hours; and

• compressed full-time hours.


Case study A team solution to a team problem

An employee asked her manager for an early departure time so she could deal with school pick-ups. There were already a lot of people on different flexible arrangements and the manager found it hard to see how business could be done. The manager said no to the request. However, the team were concerned about replacing an experienced work mate with someone inexperienced. The manager asked the team to work out if they could support the extra flexibility request. The team found ways to work around the early departure. They developed a plan that showed the manager the benefits for both the organisation (team) and individual. The manager agreed to trial the arrangement first. The trial was successful and the arrangement continued, with a review date put in place.

purchased leave arrangements

Under many public sector enterprise bargaining agreements, it is possible to purchase additional annual leave with an annualised salary. This means that rather than taking unpaid leave, the cost of leave is spread over the course of a year – in effect, you are buying extra leave. Employees considering this arrangement need to check the effects on their superable salary. Contact your local HR/payroll coordinator for more information.

Purchased leave particularly helps employees with family responsibilities to spread their annual leave to match school holidays, or employees wishing to undertake extended holidays or study periods.

Purchased leave arrangements commonly involve a 48/52 arrangement whereby instead of working the conventional 52 weeks on full pay (which includes annual leave), employees work a 48-week year with loss of salary spread over the whole year. In effect employees take 8 weeks leave (4 weeks paid annual leave and 4 weeks purchased leave) without loss of employment continuity.

Some employees might access additional leave by negotiating different arrangements (e.g. up to 44/52).

Extended leave is another form of purchased leave in which pay is annualised over a number of years to provide a period of long paid leave (e.g. work four years on 4/5ths of the regular pay and have the fifth year off, also on 4/5ths pay). Once again, check whether this option is available under your organisation’s policies or enterprise bargaining agreement.

Case study Handling multiple requests for purchased leave

Some employees at a small organisation recognised their manager was concerned that having a large number of staff on flexible arrangements would have a negative impact on her ability to deliver services effectively. It made it hard to meet the annual work targets. So when ten people in one work unit wanted 48/52, the team put together a business case and plan of action and presented these to their manager. The proposed plan enabled the manager to accommodate the needs of the team as well as meet operational requirements.


breastfeeding and lactation breaks

These short-term arrangements need to be considered within the context of flexible working arrangements. The Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010 specifically makes it unlawful to discriminate against or harass a woman on the basis of pregnancy or breastfeeding. This has been strengthened by changes to the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 that specifically ban discrimination on the basis of breastfeeding, meaning that employers must take special measures to accommodate the needs of breastfeeding employees.

Some employees who are breastfeeding young children may be happy to return to full-time work and simply need access to facilities where they can express milk or breastfeed a child brought into the workplace for that purpose. Other breastfeeding employees may, in the short-term, want the option of part-time work, job share, or another flexible arrangement.

considerations for policy and facilities

When establishing policy and facilities for this arrangement, consider the following needs:

• proactively develop relevant policy and facilities before requests are made (so employees see management commitment and do not feel they need special treatment);

• provide a carers’ room with suitable facilities (see below);

• if needed, provide staff to cover the lactation/breastfeeding breaks; and

• budget for any specific facilities and equipment.

As with any other flexible arrangement, it is advisable to document what has been agreed by both parties (including dates for review).

suitable facilities

Women who are lactating or breastfeeding need access to a clean, private room that provides:

• a comfortable chair and table;

• storage facilities for equipment;

• refrigerator for storing expressed breast milk;

• covered windows and a lockable door;

• washing facilities; and

• power points.

Case study Establishing support for lactating women

Jennifer returned from maternity leave to her former role in a city-based organisation. There was no suitable facility within her building for lactating. However, the HR representative had located a suitable venue in the building next door that was used by employees of another state government department. Jennifer was satisfied because the facilities were clean and private. However, she felt guilty that she had to take time out during the day to lactate and she felt she had to make up lost time by cutting short her lunch break or working back late. When she mentioned this to a colleague, Jennifer’s manager stepped in and provided clarification that the organisation did indeed support breastfeeding and lactation breaks and there was no need for Jennifer to make up time.


other leave arrangements

Various forms of leave are available in public sector organisations to assist employees balance their work-life responsibilities. Some employees are able to bundle a number of flexible work and leave options to meet individual needs.

Other forms of leave arrangements may include:

• long service leave (options for period of leave and pay fraction appear in your enterprise agreement);

• leave without pay;

• maternity, paternity and adoption leave;

• personal/carer’s leave;

• cultural and ceremonial leave;

• study leave; and

• pressing necessity leave.

You should familiarise yourself with your organisation’s policies or relevant clauses in your enterprise agreement.

Case studyResponding to cultural and religious needs

One emergency services organisation has a number of employees with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. The staff have participated in workshops on cross-cultural understanding and communication.

So when an employee requested support for their Ramadan practices, the organisation was prepared to accommodate their needs. A meeting room was set aside for the month, so that the employee could pray in private.

Case studyUsing a combination of leave types to promote professional development

One regional health organisation found a creative way to combine leave arrangements to support nurses’ professional development. For a nurse to convert from division 2 to division 1, they are required to undertake a six-week unpaid placement elsewhere. The organisation found a way to provide income support by granting 48/52 to cover 4 weeks income and 2 weeks paid study leave. The benefit to the organisation was increased participation in development activities and retention of staff.


some matters for consideration

Team considerations

• possible complexity around work planning for team;

• difficulty of coordinating work for employees on different schedules;

• maintaining staff levels during core business hours if multiple team members on different work schedules;

• co-workers must not be disadvantaged;

• work unit communications must be effective, particularly where there is handover;

• access to information or providing others with information;

• juggling leave requirements of various staff (more significant when staff are approved for purchased leave); and

• trust and quality of communications.

Participation • employees may be unable to participate in the full range of workplace activities; and

• learning and development needs must be addressed.

Workload • the workload must be commensurate with the time fraction;

• redesigned work needs to align with employee’s classification (avoid de-skilling or ‘dumbing down’ accountabilities);

• if there are urgent enquiries on the employee’s non-scheduled day, who will deal with the matter?

• continuity of service delivery on the employee’s non-scheduled day; and

• mechanisms for ending job share must be discussed/agreed in advance (e.g. if one leaves do you try and find a replacement or redesign the work around the remaining person).

Planning • l ess flexibility in resourcing areas because of employee’s reduced availability;

• nature of interactions with clients or colleagues;

• needing to plan activities in advance to take account of different work schedules; and

• may require employment of staff to cover absences.

Impact on individual employee

• financial disincentives (e.g. reduced income, effects on superannuation) – the employee should check with their HR/payroll coordinator or financial adviser;

• feeling of personal and professional isolation, particularly for telecommuting;

• career concerns; and

• adjustment to changed work expectations.

Communications • protocols/ability to contact employee on non-scheduled day.


4. the flexible work toolkit

This section contains tools for each of the major phases:

1 planning and assessing flexible work arrangements;

2 implementing flexible work arrangements; and

3 reviewing flexible work arrangements.

Working flexibly involves a continuous process of assessing−implementation−review. It is not a matter of set-and-forget. Individual circumstances change as do business requirements. Figure 1 illustrates the cyclical nature of implementing flexible arrangements.

Phase 2 tools:

8. manager’s checklist for implementing flexible arrangements

9. flexible work design checklist

Phase 3 tools:

10. formal review of flexible work arrangements

Phase 1 tools:

1. self-assessment: managing flexible work

2. self-assessment: what type of flexible arrangement will work best?

3. proposal for flexible work arrangements

4. assessing a flexible work request

5. what if a proposal does not meet approval criteria?

6. review of flexible arrangements for team planning discussions

7. sample team planning meeting agenda

Figure 1. Tools are provided for each phase of developing flexible work arrangements

Proposal approved?

Proposal declined

Change arrangements?

no

yes

Prepare proposal

Implement flexible work

arrangements

Review flexible work

arrangements

no

noyes

yes

Revise proposal?


selection chart for flexible work tools

The following chart shows the target audience for each tool. Nonetheless, you are encouraged to familiarise yourself with the full suite of tools to build awareness of the whole process.

# Tool Employees Managers Page

1 self-assessment on managing flexible work • 25

2self-assessment on what type of flexible arrangement will work best?

• 26

3 proposal for flexible work arrangements • • 28

4 assessing a flexible work request • 29

5what if a proposal does not meet approval criteria?

• 30

6review of flexible arrangements for team planning discussions

• • 32

7 sample team planning meeting agenda • • 33

8manager’s checklist for implementing flexible arrangements

• 34

9 flexible work design checklist • • 35

10 formal review of flexible work arrangements • • 36


tool 1: self-assessment on managing flexible work

Recommended for managers

By doing some groundwork, you will be more prepared to deal with requests for flexible arrangements. This self-assessment will help you identify your strengths and where you need to do a bit more work on setting expectations for your team. When you and your team have a shared understanding of policy and processes, you are less likely to encounter issues when reviewing flexible work arrangements.

1. I am familiar with my organisation’s policies, procedures and enterprise agreements regarding flexible work options (e.g. purchased leave, part-time work, telecommuting/work from home, compressed work week, job share, flexible start and finish times, parental leave, other leave arrangements).

Yes No – ask your HR representative for information

2. I am aware of employee legal entitlements (e.g. Fair Work Act 2009, Equal Opportunity Act 2010) to request flexible working arrangements, and know where to obtain more advice if needed.

Yes No – ask your HR representative for information

3. I understand the purpose of flexible work options and the benefits to both my organisation and employees.

Yes No – refer to chapter 3 for types of flexible work arrangements

4. I understand the planning, decision-making and review processes involved in considering flexible work arrangements and have communicated these to all my team members.

Yes No – refer to the flowchart on page 23, and discuss with your team members

5. I am confident and competent in managing my team members’ performance, particularly giving and receiving feedback and setting performance objectives.

Yes No – see SSA resource Talking Performance or seek advice from your HR representative

6. I am confident in making decisions that are fair and transparent and able to explain my reasons to colleagues.

Yes No – make this your development activity

7. I strive to model work-life balance and encourage this among team members. Yes No – review the benefits of work-life balance and flexible arrangements in chapter 1

8. I encourage my team members to participate in work planning and organisation decisions.

Yes No – add this to your next team meeting agenda

9. I am open to suggestions for creative and flexible ways of working that achieve business results.

Yes No – review the benefits of flexible work arrangements in chapter 1

10. I periodically review staffing arrangements and identify which flexible work arrangements are still effective for employees and business requirements. I am comfortable with asking team members to review arrangements, expand successful practices, and involving them to identify other potential options.

Yes No – refer to the refer to the flowchart on page 23, and discuss at your next team meeting

11. I am competent at designing jobs that accommodate flexible arrangements. Yes No – seek advice from your HR representative

http://www.ssa.vic.gov.au


tool 2: self-assessment on what type of flexible arrangement will work best

Recommended for employees

This worksheet will help you prepare for a formal proposal to work flexibly. It is for your own personal use. It will help you identify options, obstacles and required support as well as consider personal and business implications.

What do you need to change in order to achieve work-life balance?

What are the requirements of your job? (e.g. hours, deadlines, face-to-face time, technology, client needs)

Which of these are compatible with flexible work arrangements? Which are not?

What is your preferred style of working? (e.g. work without supervision, time management skills, focused and disciplined, able to delegate tasks)

Which of these are compatible with flexible work arrangements? Which are not?

What are you expecting? What are you prepared to trade off? (e.g. able to change work days occasionally if business need arises, understand impact on pay and career opportunities, understand own limits and what is appropriate agreed workload, understand what’s required to maintain visibility and promote communications)

Which of these options will meet your work-life needs? (select one or more)

flex start/finish compressed work week part time job share

work from home/remote work other (specify: _________)

Are you familiar with the following?

your work unit’s goals and future possibilities your organisation’s policies on flexible work arrangements

the decision-making process for approving flexible arrangements


What support do you need in order to implement flexible arrangements?

What is the likely impact of the proposed arrangements on others (e.g. colleagues, manager, clients)?

What is the likely financial impact of the proposed arrangements (e.g. on self, on business)?

What are you willing to do to ensure success of flexible arrangements?

What are your other options if your request is declined?

Are you ready to discuss your request with your manager?

no yes – see tips below and complete the proposal form (tool 3: proposal for flexible arrangements)

tips for discussing your proposal with your manager

• Ask for a meeting time that is convenient.

• Be realistic and clear about what you are requesting of your employer.

• Be prepared – bring any notes you’d like to talk to and be ready to document what you’ve agreed at the meeting.

• If you are unsure about your proposal, seek out a trusted colleague to discuss the issues beforehand.

• Be professional and calm and make it clear you are committed to making the arrangement work for all parties.


tool 3: proposal for flexible arrangements

Employee name:

1. Describe proposed flexible work arrangement (include expected duration and work days/times)

2. Reason for proposed flexible work arrangement

3. How will your proposal contribute to meeting work unit goals? What are the benefits to the work unit?

4. Who and what will be affected? How?

5. What are the potential costs, financial or otherwise? (e.g. equipment, insurance, professional development)

6. What are your suggestions to maximise the value of the arrangement and minimise any problems? (e.g. communications, continuity of work delivery, roles and responsibilities) What are the measures of success?

Signature: Date:_______________

Complete one of the following:

Arrangement approved. Review in _____ months with reference to measures of success listed in 6 above.

Trial of proposed working arrangements approved for ____ months with reference to measures of success listed in 6 above.

Proposed working arrangements cannot be approved because:

Manager’s signature: Date:_______________

Executive’s signature: Date:_______________

Copy of proposal to be attached to employee’s personal file.


tool 4: assessing a flexible work request


Decision-making criteria Notes

Are there legal compliance issues? (refer chapter 1)

Is the proposal consistent with work unit goals?

What effect will it have on service delivery and clients (internal/external)?

Is it practical?

− Can responsibilities and workload be adapted to proposed hours of work?

− Will there be coverage to deal with workload and absences?

− Will there be sufficient interaction with manager and colleagues?

− What learning and development can be completed under the proposed arrangement?

− What will be the proposed participation in team meetings?

− What will be the effect on communications?

What effect will it have on the employee’s work-life balance, health and wellbeing?

How will the arrangement affect colleagues? (consider work organisation, efficiency, productivity, allocation of responsibilities to replacement employees)

What is the financial impact? What are the costs? (e.g. overheads, insurance, backfill, recruitment, extra equipment) What are the savings? (e.g. productivity, office space)

What are the potential risks? (refer to chapter 3 types of flexible work arrangements for considerations related to the proposed arrangement; e.g. knowledge management and communication, impact on career and development, appropriate job design, health and safety) Can the risks be mitigated?

What are the consequences if the proposal is rejected?

Next step (tick one of the following):

Approve – complete approval section of proposal form

Decline – discuss with staff member and provide details of business grounds for refusal, record on proposal form

Insufficient information – identify gaps in proposal and seek further information


tool 5: what if a proposal does not meet approval criteria?


You have assessed a formal proposal for flexible work arrangements and you are not willing to approve it – at this stage. See below for tips to handle the following scenarios:

• dealing with an incomplete or unclear proposal; and

• declining a proposal.

prerequisites

By this stage you should have completed the following worksheets:

• No. 1: self-assessment: managing flexible work; and

• No. 4: assessing a flexible work request.

Remember: Federal and State legislation provides entitlements for employees who are parents or carers. This means an employer may only refuse a proposal for flexible work arrangements on reasonable business grounds. Refer to chapter 1 for more details.

tips for dealing with an incomplete or unclear proposal

You may not have enough evidence to formally refuse a request for flexible arrangements. Perhaps you are not certain about the business impact of a proposal or perhaps you doubt that a particular arrangement will suit the organisation and the individual. Consider the following:

• Decide what evidence you need to measure the success of a proposed arrangement. What are the job requirements? What are your expectations of the arrangement? What performance objectives must be met (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, outcomes, outputs)? What will be your timeline for review? What are the symptoms of an arrangement not working?

• Have a meeting with the employee to collaborate on solving the problems identified. Focus on how the business needs must be met. If the employee shares their personal reasons for the request, show empathy and express your willingness to develop a solution that benefits both parties. Look for innovative ways of ensuring the work gets done – perhaps the proposed arrangement is not the most appropriate and maybe combinations of other options might work better.

• Acknowledge where the employee has made efforts to overcome issues.

• Consider setting up a trial of the proposed arrangements to gather evidence on their feasibility.

• If needed, ask the employee to revise their proposal to address the business needs and concerns discussed at your meeting.


Case study

Julie has requested a working from home arrangement. Her manager, Claire, has been comfortable with such arrangements for other colleagues but is concerned that the arrangement won’t work well for Julie. Claire does not believe the claimed benefits of improved productivity will occur in Julie’s case. Julie seems unable to work independently and has trouble organising her work.

Claire prepares her notes for the meeting, including the reasons why she has difficulty approving the request and what performance measures would need to be in place for a working from home arrangement.

At the meeting, Claire provides Julie with the feedback. It is not new information – Julie is well aware of her shortcomings. However, she is keen to convince Claire and agrees to a course of action to improve her performance and provide evidence that she will be effective working from home. A date for review is set.

By time of the review, Julie has shown a convincing turnaround in her performance. Claire approves a working from home arrangement, satisfied with the evidence provided by Julie.

tips for declining a proposal

You have enough evidence to formally refuse a request for flexible arrangements. You have identified concerns about the business impact of a proposal. Consider the following:

• Anticipate potential risks with declining the proposal and identify possible remedies.

• If you need confirmation of your rationale or how you will deal with potential risks, seek the counsel of your manager or HR adviser.

• Have a meeting with the employee to review the problems identified. Focus on how the business needs must be met. Use a collaborative approach when reviewing the issues. If there are any opportunities to review arrangements or submit a proposal at a later time, identify these. Empathise with the employee and reiterate that arrangements need to benefit both parties in order to succeed.

• Refer to team planning protocols. (Refer tool 7: sample team planning meeting agenda)

• Be timely in your response, particularly where legal compliance is an issue. (Refer chapter 1)


tool 6: review of flexible arrangements for team planning discussions

Complete this questionnaire to gain an overview of current flexible work arrangements and the links with work unit objectives. This is useful prework for team planning meetings.

no. or % no. or % no. or %

Total no. of employees

How many full-time?

Part-time? Work flexibly?

No. of males How many full-time?


No. of femalesHow many full-time?


Total no. of managers

How many full-time?


No. of male managers

How many full-time?


No. of female managers

How many full-time?


Are there examples of career advancement of people working flexible arrangements? Yes No Don’t know

Is attraction of new talent easy? Yes No Don’t know

If talented employees have left the organisation/work unit in the past two years, has flexibility and work-life balance been an issue? Yes No Don’t know

Is there sufficient flexibility to meet your future business needs? Yes No Don’t know

Are there internal demands from employees for more flexibility? Yes No Don’t know

Are there external demands from employees for more flexibility? Yes No Don’t know

Is there a long hours culture? Always Sometimes Never

List the major objectives for your organisation/work unit for the current year:

List the major objectives for the next three years:

Can you identify ways in which flexibility and work-life balance can contribute to those objectives?

How effective are current arrangements?

Have you reviewed your policies and programs in light of employee and

organisational need? Yes No Don’t know


tool 7: sample team planning meeting agenda

Using the knowledge of teams can result in innovative, effective flexible working arrangements that benefit the organisation as well as teams and individuals. When team members participate in planning, they take ownership of the outcomes and work to ensure problems are resolved. Below is a sample meeting agenda that can be used by teams in work planning discussions.

Review current situation regarding flexible arrangements and business needs. (To prepare for this discussion, participants should complete Tool 6: review of flexible arrangements for team planning discussions.)

What type of flexible arrangements are being used?

How effective are these?

What works well and could be extended?

Confirm team’s understanding of organisation policies and how they apply to the team.

Confirm understanding of purpose of common arrangements in use.

Confirm processes for requesting arrangements.

Discuss the cycle of planning, decision-making and review involved in implementing flexible work arrangements.

Discuss needs of business and individuals.

What is the minimum staffing coverage required?

What are the minimum requirements for team meetings and communications?

How will development needs be addressed?

Can work be reorganised to better achieve business results? Do any jobs need redesign? How will this be addressed? (refer tool 9: flexible work design checklist)

What will build trust and accountability? (Or what will undermine it?)

What are the measures of success for the arrangements? What evidence already exists and can be extended to these arrangements?

What are the possible challenges to meeting business needs?

What will trigger an immediate review? What are possible warning signs that the arrangements are not working well?

Establish a flexible work plan for the team. Include the requirements for staff coverage, team measures of success, performance objectives and review date.


tool 8: manager’s checklist for implementing flexible arrangements


Model work-life balance. Team members will notice if you walk the talk. Your comments to team members should be consistent with the expectations communicated during discussions.

Given you have set clear performance objectives for your team members, trust and empower them to organise their work to meet business needs.

Discuss expectations for hours of work, communications (both ways) and notification of absences.

Ensure individuals’ performance plans are updated to reflect changes to work arrangements. Ensure workloads and targets are appropriate to changed hours or contact times.

Check in periodically with individual team members to ensure arrangements are going to plan:

− their hours of work allow for interaction with manager and peers (especially for teleworkers);

− their hours of work allow for learning and development in addition to job tasks;

− the range and nature of their duties are appropriate to their level; and

− their workload is manageable.

Use the opportunity at team meetings to recognise the success of arrangements, particularly the impact on team effectiveness and productivity. Refer to notes from team planning discussions if appropriate.

Take review action if there are warning signs that arrangements are not working as intended (e.g. individuals are habitually working outside agreed work hours, breakdowns in trust or communications, technology is starting to impose on work-life balance)

Are business requirements being met? Collect evidence of success as appropriate. You will use this when formally reviewing the arrangements or conducting performance reviews with team members.


tool 9: flexible work design checklist

All jobs need to be well designed, especially those for flexible work arrangements. Use this checklist to see how well the job has been designed.

The workloads are appropriate to the hours of work.

The hours of work allow for interaction with manager and peers (especially for teleworkers).

The hours of work allow for training and development to be undertaken in addition to the job tasks.

Flexible workers are able to participate in team work.

Flexible jobs comprise a range of duties requiring a variety of skills which are appropriate to the employee’s classification.

Employees are involved as part of the job design process.

If the job has been extensively redesigned, is it still appropriately classified? (i.e. matches classification descriptors in enterprise agreement – important for performance assessment and pay-related matters)


tool 10: formal review of flexible work arrangements

Employee name:

Prework:• The manager and employee should review the original proposal.

• The employee should also review their original self-assessment (refer tool 2 self-assessment: what type of flexible arrangement will work best?) to check if the responses are appropriate to their current circumstances.

• Review any other notes or documentation that are relevant to the review.

Manager and employee to complete: Notes

How well is the arrangement meeting the needs identified in the proposal?

What is the impact of the arrangement?

− Are responsibilities and workload appropriate to the hours of work?

− Is there sufficient interaction with manager and colleagues?

− What learning and development has been completed?

− How is participation in team meetings?

− What is the quality of communications?

How has the arrangement affected colleagues? (consider work organisation, efficiency, productivity, recruitment or replacement employees)

Has there been unexpected financial impact? (costs incurred or cost savings?)

What needs to be improved or changed?

What should be recognised or celebrated?

Complete one of the following:

Continue existing arrangement. Review in _____ months.

Discontinue arrangement because:

Change existing arrangements as described below and review in _____ months:

Employee’s signature: Date:_______________

Manager’s signature: Date:_______________

Executive’s signature: Date:_______________

Copy of formal review to be attached to employee’s personal file.


government

ABS, 2011a ‘Labour Force Australia, September 2011’, Cat. no. 6202.0, <www.abs.gov.au>, downloaded 20 October 2011.

ABS, 2011b ‘Australian Social Trends, June 2011’, Cat. no. 4102.0, <www.abs.gov.au>, downloaded 20 October 2011.

ABS, 2011c ‘Internet Activity Australia, June 2011’, Cat. no. 8153.0, <www.abs.gov.au>, downloaded 20 October 2011.

Business Victoria, 2010, Ways 2 Work <www.business.vic.gov.au>

Fair Work Ombudsman, 2011, ‘Best Practice Guide – Work & family’, <www.fairwork.gov.au>, downloaded 9 February 2011.

Information Victoria, 2010 ‘On the Road to Satisfaction: Using the Canadian Common Measurements Tool to Measure Satisfaction with Government Services’, <www.egov.vic.gov.au>, downloaded 16 May 2011.

Productivity Commission, 2008, Part-time Employment: the Australian experience, Staff Working Paper.

State Services Authority (SSA), 2010, People Matter in Action: The relationship between workforce metrics and organisational performance (draft report).

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2011, <www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au>

WorkSafe Victoria, 2011, ‘Employer Rights & Responsibilities” <www.worksafe.vic.gov.au> downloaded 16 May 2011.

legislation

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)

Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)

Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic)

Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)

professional associations

APESMA (The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia), 2010, ‘Women in the Professions: The State of Play 2009-10’ <www.women.apesma.org>, downloaded 8 September 2010.

Australian Human Resources Institute <www.ahri.com.au>

Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) 2006, ‘Flexible Work Arrangements’, <www.clcexecutiveboard.com>

Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) 2008, ‘Building and managing a global work-life proposition’, <www.clcexecutiveboard.com>

5. bibliography


research papers and news articles

Bardoel, E, De Cieri, H, and Santos, C, 2008, ‘A Review of Work-Life Research in Australia and New Zealand’ Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 46: 316.

Duxbury, L, Higgins, C & Beaton Consulting, 2008, ‘Work-life balance in Australia in the new millennium: rhetoric versus reality’, <www.beaton.com.au>, downloaded 23 August 2010.

Glen, C, 2006, ‘Key skills retention and motivation: the war for talent still rages and retention is the high ground’, Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 No. 1: 37-45.

Medibank Private 2008, ‘The Cost of Workplace Stress in Australia’, August 2008, <www.medibank.com.au>, downloaded 13 May 2011.

Pocock, B, Skinner, N, and Pisaniello, S, 2010, ‘How Much Should We Work? Working hours, holidays and working life: the participation challenge. Results of the 2008 Australian Work and Life Index (AWALI) Survey’, <unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/cwl> downloaded 23 August 2010.

Skinner, N and Pocock, B, 2009, ‘Work, Life, Flexibility and Workplace Culture in Australia: Results of the 2008 Australian Work and Life Index (AWALI) Survey’ Australian Bulletin of Labour, Vol. 36, No. 2, 2010: 133-154.

The Age 2010, ‘Job stress costs $730m’, 6 October <http://www.theage.com.au/executive-style/management/job-stress-costs-730m-20101006-167fg.html>, downloaded 13 May 2011.

further resources and information support

Better Health Channel – this website provides comprehensive health and medical information including articles by experts on health conditions and treatments as well as work and family relationships www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Beyond Blue – provides resources to help individuals and organisations effectively deal with and prevent depression www.beyondblue.org.au

Raising Children Network – a parenting website that works with peak organisations and incorporates the advice and input of experts raisingchildren.net.au

seniors.gov.au – resources for Australians over 50, including information on planning for retirement www.seniors.gov.au. See also related federal government information on retirement planning including a guide on investing for retirement www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/seniors/pubs/Pages/default.aspx

Working Carers Gateway – set up to help those who juggle work and caring responsibilities www.workingcarers.org.au

employee assistance at work – your organisation may provide information or support for employees facing issues related to work-life balance. This can include access to professional counselling via employee assistance programs. Contact your HR representative for more information.

your colleagues – if you know other employees on flexible arrangements, talk to them about their experiences including what does and doesn’t work well.

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

www.beyondblue.org.au

www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/seniors/pubs/Pages/default.aspx

www.workingcarers.org.au

contact usat the State Services AuthorityEmail: [email protected]: (03) 9651 1321Fax: (03) 9651 1883

www.ssa.vic.gov.au

Postal Address:3 Treasury PlaceMelbourne 3002 D

OT6

315/

11

www.ssa.vic.gov.au

making flexible work a success ssa release dec 2011

Documents