Benefits, rights and responsibilities

Benefits

Many employers have already adopted flexible working arrangements because they make good business sense. They can help:

retain skilled staff and reduce recruitment costs
raise staff morale and decrease absenteeism
meet labour market changes more effectively.

For employees, the opportunity to work flexibly can help them strike a better balance between their paid work and other responsibilities.

Rights and responsibilities

If you are an employee you:	If you are an employer you:
have a “right to request” flexible working arrangements. You can ask: to change your working arrangements – either permanently or for a set time anytime, from your first day of work for any purpose or reason. For example, caring for children or older parents, playing sport or working in the community for flexible working arrangements, but the employer doesn't have to agree with the request if there is a good business reason for declining.	have a “duty to consider” any requests. You: must think carefully about every request and reply in writing as soon as possible, but not later than one month. Things to consider when working remotely don't have to agree to it if there's a good business reason not to, however employees do have a right to ask for flexible working arrangements can only say “no” for certain reasons – these reasons need to be stated if the application is declined

If you are an employee you:

If you are an employer you:

have a “right to request” flexible working arrangements. You can ask:

to change your working arrangements – either permanently or for a set time
anytime, from your first day of work
for any purpose or reason. For example, caring for children or older parents, playing sport or working in the community
for flexible working arrangements, but the employer doesn't have to agree with the request if there is a good business reason for declining.

have a “duty to consider” any requests. You:

must think carefully about every request and reply in writing as soon as possible, but not later than one month.

Things to consider when working remotely

don't have to agree to it if there's a good business reason not to, however employees do have a right to ask for flexible working arrangements
can only say “no” for certain reasons – these reasons need to be stated if the application is declined

Examples of flexible work

Flexible work hours

Flexi time/adjusted hours – employees work for an agreed total number of ‘core hours’ and choose when their working day begins and ends.
Core hours – hours during which employees working flexi-time must be at work (for example, 10am to 4pm).
Staggered hours – different start and finish times for employees in the same workplace.
Time in lieu/time banking – any extra hours worked are compensated for by paid time off.
Flexi-breaks – stopping for breaks at times that suit the employee’s particular workload or preferences.
Part-time/reduced hours/job sharing/job splitting – employees work less than full-time hours. For this to happen the job is often redesigned and responsibilities split between a number of part-time employees.

Benefits of flexi-hours

Improves efficiency if work schedules match employees’ most productive hours
Gives employees more control over scheduling personal responsibilities during the workday
Allows for commuting outside of peak rush hours
Retains employees who need time off to care for dependents or to meet other responsibilities outside of paid work
Expands labour pool
Brings broader range of knowledge, skills and experience
May provide an option for employees who want to reduce their total time at work, but whose jobs cannot be done on a part-time basis.

Flexible weekly work pattern

Weekday/weekend swap – employees swap working on a weekday for working on a weekend day.
Shift self-selection – employees assist with the development of shift work schedules and choose their own shifts.
Weeks on/weeks off – working one or several weeks and taking one or several weeks off.

Benefits of flexi-weeks

Improves productivity if the quieter times of the day/week is better for doing some types of work.
Allows for more days off.
Decreases the number of days employees commute.
Allows for commuting outside of peak rush hour.
Compressed week – weekly full-time hours are worked over a shorter time period.

Flexible yearly work pattern

Term-time working – working during the school terms and taking paid or unpaid time off during school holidays.
Annualised hours – an agreed number of hours worked on a yearly rather than a weekly basis.
Buyable leave – employees exchange an agreed reduction in salary for extra periods of leave over a specified period.

Benefits of flexi-year

Provides options for employees to take limited or extended time off from work to manage various family and personal responsibilities.

Work from locations other than the specified workplace

Tele-working/tele-commuting/home-working/remote-working – all these options involve working from home or another location outside of the workplace on either a full- or part-time basis.

Benefits of flexi-location

offers alternative to relocation
expands potential labour pool geographically
reduces office space and associated costs
accommodates employees with disabilities
reduces or eliminates commuting
provides an environment with fewer workplace distractions
allows employees to work during their “personal best time".

Work from different locations within the workplace

Hot desking – temporary use of a workstation.

Benefits of flexi-worksite

encourages collaboration across work-groups and project teams
reduces permanent office space and associated costs.

Structure careers around other interests/responsibilities

career break/sabbatical – extended periods of leave that are normally unpaid
work transition – provides opportunities for employees to make changes in their work hours, location or job responsibilities. For example, employee making changes after a significant accident or medical issue
phased retirement – hours of work are progressively reduced until full retirement is reached at a specified date
phased return/gradual return – hours of work are progressively increased until a full complement of full- or part-time hours is reached at a specified date. Often used by parents returning from parental leave
self-managed work – employees work in their own way, often without direct supervision, towards an agreed goal
job rotation/role rotation – employees move between two or more jobs so they can cross-train and develop a wider variety of skills.

Benefits of flexi-career

expands labour pool
provides options for gradual return to work after parental or other leave
allows gradual entry into retirement, retention of skills and succession development
provides opportunities for cross-training and skill enhancement.