Around this time – particularly in the midst of the longest school holiday period of the year – employees often give thought to their current work patterns and may request more flexible working arrangements.
Flexible working arrangements can bring many benefits to a workplace – namely, the attraction of new suitable candidates, the retention of existing valued employees, greater work-life balance, stronger employee engagement and an increase in the number of employees returning to work from parental leave.
Employees who are happy with their working arrangements, particularly those who have working arrangements customised to suit their individual needs, are more likely to stay with their employer for a longer period of time and be happily productive.
The method of flexible work is predominantly unrestricted and, upon agreement between the employee and the employer, may include these options:
- job sharing
- flexible hours including rostered days off, time in lieu, compressed working weeks, school-term employment and annualised hours
- working from home
- phased retirement
- family-friendly workplaces (eg assisting with child care arrangements/costs)
- flexible leave arrangements or purchased leave
- part-time work
Once you and your employee have agreed upon a method of flexible work, the details of the arrangement should be formalised in writing to ensure there is no confusion or ambiguity about the flexible work arrangement and how it will operate.
CCI’s Workplace Relations team can assist employers to evaluate the effectiveness of current working arrangements, identify opportunities for improvement, and draft documentation to support flexible working arrangements.
► Have questions about flexible working arrangements? Contact the Workplace Consulting team on 9365 7720 or at [email protected] for more information.
