Under Fair Work Legislation, every
business must provide a family friendly work environment for their employees. Providing
staff with the option to work different hours or work from home does not
have to mean a loss of productivity. In fact, even smaller businesses are
finding it advantageous to accommodate their staff’s needs for flexible work
arrangements.
However the initial request for more
flexibility is often confronting for many employers. Here are 3 points you need
to consider.
1. It’s not a one-way exchange
While it may not be applicable to every
member of your team, most employers have loyal, hardworking staff members they
know they can trust. If you wish to keep these people, you need to be adaptable
as they balance their work and family obligations.
Unhappy workers leave their current jobs
– especially if their new employer promises more opportunities to gain
work/life balance. So if you want to keep your best workers, you will need to consider
their request for flexibility.
Building
a culture of trust
Accommodating a staff member’s needs for
flexible work arrangements makes a strong statement that you trust and value
their contribution to your organisation.
When workers feel valued, they tend to
work harder and be more loyal to their employer. So while the initial request
for flexible work arrangements may seem inconvenient for your business, it
could provide a boost in productivity.
2. A request for flexibility is the start of
a conversation
The legislation around providing
flexible work arrangements clearly states that a business can refuse requests
for flexible working arrangements “on reasonable
business grounds”. The key word here is reasonable
and this is where personal biases can cloud an employer’s decision.
The legislation also states the request
for flexibility must be made in writing describing what the request is and the
reasons for it. The employer must then respond within 21 days. Use this time to
become less emotional about the request. Instead, focus on the impact to your
business if the staff member takes unplanned leave or resigns from your
organisation.
Negotiate
if you can’t say “yes”
If you are unable to completely satisfy
your employee’s request for flexibility, try to negotiate a middle ground that
satisfies the needs of both the employee and the business. For example, if your
employee asks to work from home 3 days a week, maybe they could work from home 1
or 2 days a week with a review of the situation after 3 months.
3. Explore ways to create a flexible
workplace by redesigning work flow practices
Technology and customer service
expectations are both changing the way the world does business. Many industries
now operate in a 24/7 environment with businesses of all sizes embracing the
cost savings of running virtual offices.
For some businesses offering 9 day
fortnights or longer work days in exchange for rostered days off are proving a
viable way to remain profitable and customer focused. They often report other
benefits such as reduced unplanned leave because workers have the flexibility
to balance their work and home responsibilities.
A
fresh approach could help your business
In order to adapt to the changing
expectations of employees and legislators, many businesses seek help from
experts in the field. End2End Business Solutions offers SMEs a range of
outsourced HR services tailored to your needs.
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