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Ground Rules for
Flexible Working
There are some ground rules to the successful implementation of
flexible working arrangements, which need to be taken on board by
senior management, line managers and all employees. The underlying
principles are:
It's a partnership - it takes co-operation to make
flexible working work for the organisation, the team and the
individual. It allows more flexibility for life outside work, but
there also has to be give and take to meet business or service
needs.
It's about results - setting goals, targets and objectives
and managing by results are good management practices in any
circumstances. It's about the work that gets done, not how long
someone can be seen sitting in their office chair.
It's about good communication - anyone who is working
flexibly, has to ensure that everyone who might be affected knows
and agrees to changes. That means talking regularly to managers,
colleagues and clients.
It's about staying flexible - flexible work arrangements
may be a new way to work and will need fine-tuning. Part of working
in and managing a flexible team is constant willingness, from all
parties, to review the situation to ensure that goals and targets
are being met.
And, ideally:
It's something for everyone - regardless of age, culture
or gender, not just parents, although their needs are important and
specifically catered for in the new legislation. Resentment from
employees excluded from flexible working options can contribute to
poor morale and relationships, lowered commitment and retention.
Employees should be aware that both legislatively and in
terms of good business practice, flexible working is not an
entitlement, apart from statutory leave such as Maternity,
Paternity, Adoption and Parental Leave.
Use of the various options should always be at the
discretion of their manager and governed by the needs of the
business (except where there is statutory legal entitlement).
However, individuals should have a right to use the organisation's
standard appeals procedure where they feel their request for changed
working patterns has been unfairly assessed.
Source:
www.workingfamilies.org.uk
for more on work issues:
www.workingfamilies.org.uk/asp/employer_zone/e_sme_fwrules.asp
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