Management Guidelines for Implementing Flexible Working Arrangements in Defence THE FOLLOWING ARE GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONS ONLY AND SHOULD BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DECA 2004-2006 AND THE DEFENCE WORKPLACE RELATIONS MANUAL (DWRM). THE FLEXIBLE WORKING AGREEMENTS MENTIONED IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE OPTIONAL, BUT MAY HELP TO CLARIFY POINTS YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT OR DISCUSSED. IN THE CASE OF PART-TIME/JOB-SHARE AND HOME BASED WORK APPLICATIONS, SUBMISSION OF SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION IS MANDATORY. LINKS TO THESE DOCUMENTS ARE PROVIDED. Written and Developed by Barbara Holmes Director Managing Work Life Balance Managing Work Life Balance 2000
CONTENTS PREFACE...2 INTRODUCTION...3 WHY FLEXIBILITY...3 BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILITY....4 WHAT S AVAILABLE?...5 THE MANAGER/SUPERVISOR S ROLE...5 IMPLEMENTING FLEXIBILITY...6 SOME CHALLENGES...6 MANAGER/SUPERVISOR COMPETENCIES...6 GETTING STARTED...7 DECISION MAKING GUIDELINES...8 MONITORING...9 EVALUATION...9 Summary... 10 IMPLEMENTATION CHECKLIST...10 ESTABLISHING A FLEXIBLE WORK AGREEMENT...11 SUMMARY OF THE PROCESS...12 APPENDIX 1 EXAMPLE EMPLOYEE APPLICATIONS...13 FLEXIBLE WORK OPTION PLANNER EXAMPLE 1...13 FLEXIBLE WORK OPTION PLANNER EXAMPLE 2...17 APPENDIX 2 FLEXIBLE WORK AGREEMENT EXAMPLE...20 Managing Work Life Balance 2000
IINTRODUCTIION DEFENCE is committed to providing and maintaining so far as practicable a flexible work environment that enables all staff members to manage their work, family and lifestyle responsibilities. Defence s flexible working arrangements enable staff to meet their workplace commitments and maintain a balance between work and lifestyle obligations. In the following pages you will find out more about the flexible working arrangements that are available, why they are important to the success of Defence and most importantly how to ensure that where staff are able to work flexibly there is a positive result for both the individual and the Group / team. Defence is committed to providing and maintaining, so far as practicable, a flexible work environment that enables all staff members to manage their work, family and lifestyle responsibilities. It is apparent that employees are aware of flexible working options, but it is sometimes difficult to access the provisions available in the DECA. A lack of communication between managers/supervisors and employees in this regard, is evident. The purpose of this tool kit is to assist employees and their managers/supervisors to work together to develop working arrangements that suit the needs of the individual as well as those of Defence. The success of a flexible work program depends on a mutually satisfactory agreement that is developed by the employee and their manager/supervisor. Both parties are responsible for making the agreement work, and both should commit to a process of continuous improvement and evaluation. Initially the employee needs to develop their own case for a flexible work arrangement. As the manager/supervisor you are responsible for assessing these requests fairly and equitably. Some of the flexible working arrangements that are discussed include part-time and job share arrangements, flex time and home based work. Additional information can be found in the Defence Workplace Relations Manual (DWRM) WHY FLEXIIBIILIITY Flexible working arrangements are changes to working time and leave arrangements, mutually agreed between employees and management, which accommodate both organisational needs and the family or lifestyle requirements of employees. Such practices allow organisations to respond to employee needs while continuing to meet business, continuous improvement and service delivery goals. These practices also facilitate diversity, opportunity and equity in the workplace. Employees who are responsive to customer / client / clients, produce high quality work and solid measurable business results, and are willing to go the Managing Work Life Balance 2000 3
extra mile really exist. They can be found in organisations that have invested in resources that help employees work to the best of their ability. These employees thrive because their organisations have successfully created supportive work environments and managers have acknowledged the inextricable link between work and life. According to researchers and organisations around the world all of these reliable and highly skilled employees have supportive managers/supervisors. Research both within Defence and the wider business community indicates that flexibility is the key to recruiting and retaining quality staff. There is also a wide range of data that shows that supportive managers look for fair and equitable (not uniform) ways to assist employees. They know that employees work best when they are free from personal stresses and concerns. They use all the tools available including flexible working arrangements. They measure performance and contributions based on value added, not hours worked. Benefits of Flexibility Within Defence there are a range of additional benefits that will accrue to both managers and employees as a result of initiating changes in these areas. These include: Reduced recruitment costs because skilled workers are retained. Increased attractiveness as an employer resulting in an enhanced pool of applicants for vacant positions. Being perceived as an employer of choice. Development of an organisational culture which facilitates change and effective work performance. Increases the hours available to provide service to both the internal and external customer /client. Helps staff to manage the balance between work and life responsibilities. Gives greater access to employees with a wider range of skills and competencies. Enables staff to attend further education / needs / priorities. Using two sets of skills in the job (in a job-share arrangement) can enhance productivity and customer / client service. These benefits can only be achieved where there is mutual cooperation and commitment to change. The development of an agreement between the employer and the employees manager/supervisor plays a crucial role in the success of any flexible work agreement. Managing Work Life Balance 2000 4
WHAT S AVAIILABLE? There are a range of flexible arrangements in DECA 2004-2006 that may help you and your employees. They include: Part-time work. and job sharing Flexible working hours. Home-based work Parental leave. Maternity leave. Miscellaneous leave The Manager/supervisor s Role As a manager / manager/supervisor you are responsible for approving and implementing flexibility within your work team. Staff wanting to adopt a flexible working arrangement should be encouraged to initially prepare their case by using the resources within the "Employee Guidelines to Implementing Flexibility in Defence" and to then present their case to their manager/supervisor. You will then need to consider a number of issues (using the checklist below) to come to a decision that is fair and equitable for you and the employee. You will also need to be sure that the impact on the performance of your team, the budget and the achievement of your KERs is not inhibited by this change in work arrangements. It is important to recognise that there is no one-size fits all solution to flexibility and sometimes you and your employees will need to use a creative approach to problem-solving and implementation issues. Manager/supervisors are also encouraged to look for opportunities to increase the availability of flexible working within their teams. This can be done by: Re-thinking about the way work is done in your team, can jobs be re-designed to offer greater flexibility? Offering flexibility at the recruitment stage, e.g., can the job be undertaken as a job-share arrangement? Or could the working hours be staggered? Could a person receive their training by distance learning? A manager can demonstrate commitment to increased flexibility by not only encouraging staff to access the options available but also by: Managing Work Life Balance 2000 5
Scheduling team meetings so that staff who work flexibly can attend. Making training / education sessions available to all staff within the team, whatever their work hours. Allocating work on the basis of merit rather than presence in the workplace. Objectively assessing performance on results rather than the hours worked. Recognise team successes and learn from difficulties especially in the area of flexible working. IIMPLEMENTIING FLEXIIBIILIITY Some Challenges The challenge is to now translate words into action, working to implement flexible options, and having a positive impact on the bottom line of the business. There are a number of reasons why organisations fail to reap a return on their investment. One of these is the failure to address some of the myths and objections sometimes raised by people as to why they cannot implement the necessary changes. They include: Customer / client s needs make it impossible for flexible options to be used. If you make an arrangement for one person everyone in the group will want the same. Flexible work options mean part-time work. Employees wanting assistance to manage family responsibilities aren t serious about their careers. It s difficult to manage people who work flexible hours or who job share. Work and family programs are about promoting women. The majority of these myths can be tracked back to the influence of a culture within the organisation and the competencies and attitudes of managers/supervisors, staff and sometimes even customer / clients. Within Defence we are committed to helping everyone involved to create win-win solutions to the challenges they face. Manager/supervisor Competencies Managing Work Life Balance 2000 6
Recent research has identified supportive and non-supportive management behaviours that can be learned through experience and training. These can be measured and evaluated as part of regular performance appraisal. The research, which is supported by practical experience, shows that a supportive manager is one who: engages in two-way communications. listens attentively. shares information and seeks as well as gives regular feedback. recognises contributions made by employees. offers positive, constructive and honest appraisal of work. plays a mentoring role. models supportive behaviours and exemplary work habits. empowers employees by giving them autonomy and support to make decisions and complete tasks. recognises that employees have a life outside work and sees that work / life balance is something positive and not an interference or annoyance. These competencies are compatible with the skills and behaviours exhibited by proficient managers/supervisors within Defence. They can be used most effectively to maximise the potential of team members by assisting them to balance their work / life responsibilities. This can often be achieved by providing greater flexibility in working hours or the location of work. Getting Started The following steps will assist you to not only respond appropriately to requests for flexibility or an alternative work arrangement, but will also assist you to manage the people who use these options in a fair and equitable manner. On receipt of a request for flexible working arrangements (see appendix 1 for an example): 1. Discuss with the employee their specific needs, focus on outcomes and the impact on both the business and the individual. It is important to treat each request on its merit. 2. Check with the Defence Workplace Relations Manual (DWRM) to ensure that the arrangement would comply with current DECA arrangements. 3. Consider the budgetary implications both in the short and long-term. How will this arrangement impact on the bottom line of your workplace? Will it be an investment that provides benefits in the long term? Managing Work Life Balance 2000 7
4. Assess the needs of the team and both the internal and external customer / client? Could the employee request work in it s current form or is there a need for some modification? Recognise that there may be a potential for conflict within the team and that this will need to be resolved. Consult with the team and others concerned to develop strategies to overcome these concerns. 5. Look at other ways jobs can be structured and the work done to improve the way that customer / clients needs are being met. Where appropriate consider re-designing jobs so that the team can meet its job goals. 6. Refer to OH&S checklist to assess whether there are any safety or occupational health issues that may need to be addressed especially if employees are planning to work from home. 7. Establish specific performance objectives, as part of the development of the Flexible Work Agreement. (see appendices 1 and 2 for examples). Performance objectives should focus on clearly defined outcomes, and be measurable. Mutually decide when and how performance will be monitored and evaluated. 8. Schedule frequent manager/supervisor / employee discussions to assess the specifics of how the arrangement is working, ensure team issues are addressed. 9. Organise communication processes within the team (ie. Team Briefing Sessions) to ensure that all staff can attend. Decision Making Guidelines In assessing your employee s request to access a flexible working arrangement you will need to consider the following questions as part of the decision making process. It is strongly recommended that you discuss the employee s proposal and your responses with the individual concerned before making a final decision. 1. What are the business variables that will influence your decision as to whether the flexible work option is feasible? ie. peak work times, customer / client requirements etc. 2. What will be the benefits of accepting this employee s request for greater flexibility? What will be the positive outcomes for the business if this employee is able to access a flexible work arrangement? 3. What are the potential impacts on the budget, customer / client service (internal and external) and how can these be addressed? 4. Is the requested flexible working arrangement compatible with the needs of the team and the level of interaction that the employee needs with the team to do their job well? Managing Work Life Balance 2000 8
Monitoring Evaluation 5. How will performance be measured to ensure that the flexible option and the employee s efforts are given a fair assessment? 6. What would be a fair time to give the requested flexible arrangement a chance to succeed? 7. What arrangements will need to be made to ensure communications between the employee, yourself, and team members are adequate to meet everyone s needs? 8. If the option requested by the employee is not compatible with the team and customer / client needs is there an alternative that will meet people s needs? 9. What are the short and long-term implications of rejecting / accepting this request? 10. What are the next steps? 11. Trial the arrangement for 3-months. 12. Communicate and consult with employees as part of the on-going monitoring process. Resolve difficulties as they arise. 13. Carefully examine the amount of work given to employees working reduced time schedules and periodically discuss whether the workload is reasonable. Be aware of the possibility of workload creep occurring. This is when an employee takes on a full-time workload whilst working reduced hours. 14. Focus on specific training needs. For example; it may be difficult for an employee to manage their time or workload when working flexible hours, they may need to develop new skills in the area of time management, or delegation. The training program should be scheduled for the employee s normal work times. 15. Assess the impact of the arrangement on other team members, colleagues, and customer / clients. Adjust the arrangements according to what will work well for all concerned. A flexible work arrangement needs to be monitored on a regular basis in addition to the normal review that will occur as part of the performance management process. Timely discussions of issues and concerns can help to address potential problems and lead to success for both the employee and the organisation. Monitoring and evaluation discussions should address: Employees s satisfaction and concerns. Achievement of agreed outputs and job objectives. Managing Work Life Balance 2000 9
Achievement of customer / client service standards. Team co-operation and the maintenance of communication between the parttime employee and team members. In Addition At the end of the trial period collect feedback from team members and evaluate the impact of the flexible arrangements on their ability to meet their performance goals. Obtain feedback from stakeholders and internal and external customer / client / clients to assess the impact of the flexible arrangements in their work area. Establish goals with the employee and team members for the next 3 months. Agree how performance will be monitored and evaluated; develop relevant KERs. Summary The support and encouragement of the supervisor / manager is critical to the success of any attempt to implement flexibility in the workplace. It requires strong leadership, and coaching for those involved. Managers/supervisors need to be able to listen and respond empathically when concerns are raised and need to be able to develop, with their team, solutions that provide a win/win for all concerned. This investment of time will provide long-term improvements in productivity and customer / client service. IIMPPLLEEMEENTTAATTI I IIOON CCHEECCKKLLI IISSTT The following questions may act as useful reminders during the set-up and implementation of flexible work practices. Has the job design and work allocation been reviewed? Does the job description require amendment? Has a performance exchange been developed? Have the hours and days of work been negotiated? Has the option of flexible, standard or staggered starting times been considered/negotiated? Can the employee work additional hours if necessary during peak times of the year? How much notice is required? Has a plan been organised and agreed on how the employee and their manager/supervisor will communicate about day to day issues as well as in times of crisis? Managing Work Life Balance 2000 10
What will happen when the employee wishes / needs to attend training - how will this be managed? Have we discussed information provision, for example attendance at meetings/briefings or receiving newsletters? How will the employee be included in work related activities? Is there potential to work from home? Is there a need for additional equipment and if so has this cost been factored into the budget? What processes will be used to resolve potential conflict situations before they become a crisis? How will both parties monitor and evaluate success? If this arrangement is unsatisfactory what will happen? Can the employee return to their previous work arrangement? What is the duration of this agreement? Has a Flexible Work Option been finalised and an agreement signed and clearly understood by all concerned? ESTABLIISHIING A FLEXIIBLE WORK AGREEMENT It is the manager s responsibility (having accepted an employee s request to work flexibly) to work with the employee to develop a flexible work agreement that will outline how the new arrangement will work. It is unlikely that any two arrangements will be the same so the following steps are guidelines only, that will help you develop a win-win for you and your team member. Once you have reached agreement on the criteria below then the agreement should be written up and signed by both parties. On agreement, the administrative process at the end of the Flexible Work Option Planner should be followed. 1. Confirm just what the flexible arrangement will be. Is it a change of hours or a job-share arrangement or working from home or another type of flexible working? 2. How many hours per week / fortnight will the employee be working? 3. If it is necessary, how have you changed the workload of the employee to reflect the changes in work-time (if moving from full to part-time work, or establishing a job-share arrangement)? 4. What will be the impact on the employee s salary and any other benefits? Has the employee checked this?. Also check that the employee understands the implications of any change as this may impact their decision to access the flexible working arrangement. 5. If the employee wishes to return to standard working conditions (at some later date) how will this be addressed? 6. Where will the work be undertaken? (home office / office or a combination of options). Managing Work Life Balance 2000 11
7. How will performance be measured? What are the performance criteria ie customer / client requirements mean that the employee must be available between certain hours or return calls within a specified time. Have you and the employee completed a new performance agreement? 8. How will you both communicate with each other and other team members? What frequency? What will happen if you need to make contact with each other if a work related crisis occurs? 9. Identify how holidays / leave and other absences will be covered if this is an issue that affects ongoing customer / client contact. 10. What is the trial period and how will you both monitor and measure success? 11. The agreement should list any additional equipment or materials supplied to the employee (for example if the employee moves to a home based working situation, Defence may need to supply some equipment). 12. Consider how potential conflicts will be resolved and outline this process in the agreement. Summary of the Process There are six key stages in the process of accessing and implementing flexible working arrangements to ensure that you have completed all the necessary stages. Employee completes the Flexible Work Option Planner and holds discussions with manager/supervisor. Manager/supervisor checks their understanding of the policies and Defence procedures. Manager/supervisor considers the application and the possible implications for the budget, the work area and other team members Manager/supervisor and employee review all options, assemble other relevant data such as financial and salary implications, and where possible develop an appropriate flexible work agreement that meets the needs of the business and the employee. Where the request has been declined the employee and the manager/supervisor discuss the situation and the full reasons for the decision are explained. Establish a flexible work agreement and ensure it is signed by the employee and the manager/supervisor. Implementation strategies are in place and an agreement is reached on how performance will be monitored. Managing Work Life Balance 2000 12
APPENDIIX 1 EXAMPLE EMPLOYEE APPLIICATIIONS FLEXIIBLE WORK OPTIION PLANNER EXAMPLE 1 (to be completed by the employee) 1. Employee Details Name Joan Taylor. Date 30 May 2000 Submitted to Manager/supervisor John Groom Job Title Defence Location Sydney Division CSIG 2. Identify the preferred flexible work option. Describe how this option will best suit your needs. As a result of changed family situation I want to job share with a colleague. This would mean I could work three complete days a week and he could work the other two days. This will help me manage the additional caring responsibility of an older relative who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer s. 3. Describe the working arrangements that will best suit your needs. I currently work a five-day week usually from 8am to 4.30pm and manage a full caseload of clients. Job Sharing with George Alexander means that he could go back to university and continue his studies part-time (see separate application from George) I could work fewer days and between us we could manage the caseload of one social worker. We could cover for each other s holidays or sickness. 4. How do you perceive the impact your proposed new schedule sustaining or improving your team s ability to get the job done? We could provide continuity for our clients and would be able to cover client conferences and team meetings. We would both work a slightly longer day ie 8am to 5pm and would communicate by phone with each other and team members to hand-over information. 5. What impact could your proposed changes have on internal and external clients, co-workers, your manager/supervisor and/or others? It would create an opportunity to employ a new team member as George and I would both be moving to a part-time arrangement. There would be little or no impact on co-workers and the cost of hiring an additional person would be far outweighed by the new-ideas, energy and enthusiasm they would bring to the team. I would stay with Defence rather than looking for a part-time job elsewhere. Managing Work Life Balance 2000 13
Only challenge would be the communications with the team or coping with a client crisis 6. How do you plan to overcome these potential problems? We could communicate by e-mail and phone each other to hand-over client information. Better use of the current paging system would mean that we are easily contactable for clients. One of us would be available each week to attend team meetings. This may mean we need to rotate our days to give us both the opportunity to attend 7. Will you need any additional equipment? Are there any additional costs associated with your request? I may need to upgrade my home-based computers so I can successfully connect to Defence's remote computer system (DRAS http://drnsupport.defence.gov.au/dras/) 8. What cost-benefits will accrue to the business if your request is approved? It will mean that I will stay with Defence rather than look for alternative employment so it will save my replacement costs. We will provide continuity of service to clients. 9. What measures do you believe can be used to assess how your performance is meeting or exceeding expectation? We will need to re-allocate clients between George and myself and share the workload. However the KERs(Key expected results) that relate to client service and professionalism will still be applicable. 10. What review process do you propose for monitoring and improvement of your flexible work option? Initially we should have fortnightly meetings to review progress, after the first 4 weeks this can move to a monthly meeting. After 4 months quarterly meetings should be sufficient. Managing Work Life Balance 2000 14
(To be completed by the Manager/supervisor) 11. Manager/supervisor s Comments. How will this option help or hinder the productivity of your team? The job-share arrangement will mean that we can maintain the workload of the group. However I am concerned about the financial impact of hiring an additional staff member and the ongoing disruption to clients who really need continuity of service. 12. Please give your business / operational reasons for approving or declining this request. I am declining this request as I believe that whilst Joan is an experienced employee and her contribution to the team is very valuable, the expense of hiring a full-time staff member and establishing the job-share arrangement will be too great. In addition I am concerned about the disruptive effect on our clients. To help Joan deal with her current dependant care issues we have looked at other ways she may be able to cope with work and family responsibilities and have agreed that for the next 3 months she will work a compressed work week (longer hours on less days) part of which will be undertaken in a home-based office. We will evaluate the situation again in 12 weeks time. Date 20/6/00 Manager/supervisor s Signature John Groom Date 20/6/00 Employee s Signature.. Joan Taylor Managing Work Life Balance 2000 15
Administrative Processes Part time / Job share Once the delegate has approved the employee initiated or supervisor initiated part time employment, a part-time work agreement (AD399 - Webforms) must be completed and signed by both the employee and supervisor prior to commencement of part-time work. A copy of the agreement and an AB151 (Webforms) must be forwarded to the CPAC and the local HR area. The agreement should specify the hours, days and date on which the part-time arrangement starts and finishes or will be reviewed. The CPAC must be notified when the agreement terminates. Approval of home based work Following the 'in principle' approval of a home based work application,(generally submitted on an Application for Home Based Work form AD-167 - Webforms) the following steps need to be taken: Complete a Security Assessment form AD167-1 (Webforms) and submit to their supervisor for consideration. The performance agreement needs to be completed to take into account new arrangements and KERs; Completion of an occupational health and safety assessment; Evidence of necessary insurances and Agreement and signing of arrangements by both the employee and the supervisor See also DWRM (home based work can be found through Pay and Related Conditions then click DWRM) Home based work arrangements are subject to review every three months Managing Work Life Balance 2000 16
FLEXIIBLE WORK OPTIION PLANNER EXAMPLE 2 (to be completed by the employee) 1. Employee Details. Name Michael Poole.Date 15/6/00.Submitted to Manager/supervisor Mary Wright Job Title Project Engineer...Location??.Division Engineering 2. Identify the preferred flexible work option. Describe how this option will best suit your needs. I am currently working full time 9am to 5.30 pm every day, Changes in my personal situation mean that I need to move to a more flexible schedule as well as working 2 days a week from a home based office. 3. Describe the working arrangements that will best suit your needs. Increased flexibility in both my hours and location will enable me to manage a personal situation, reduce the amount of time I spend travelling and give me a quieter work environment to complete complex design and project work. I would like to work from home on Mondays and Thursdays and work in the office from 10am until 6.30pm on other days. This will mean that I am doing the same number of work hours but I am doing them in a different way. 4. How do you perceive the impact your proposed new schedule sustaining or improving your team s ability to get the job done? There will be little or no impact on the team. If am needed on days I am working from home I will be contactable by phone or e-mail. Team meetings are generally held on Tuesdays at 11 am and I will be available for that as usual. I will be available for clients as usual. 5. What impact could your proposed changes have on internal and external clients, co-workers, your manager/supervisor and/or others? We may need to be more proactive about the way we manage our clients, especially where there are project meetings that need to be organised. However, provided I have sufficient notice I am prepared to be flexible with the days I work from home. 6. How do you plan to overcome these potential problems? As already indicated provided I have sufficient warning I can change my days to work from home. But I would need help from other team members if there Managing Work Life Balance 2000 17
was a customer / client crisis on the days I am not in the office. This would be reciprocated (as is currently the practice) when they need help. 7. Will you need any additional equipment? Are there any additional costs (that you are aware of) associated with your request? I already have a home-based office established. I would need an additional phone line installed specifically for work on-line. We also need to budget for an OH&S inspection. Set up costs should be no more than $750.00 8. What cost-benefits will accrue to the business if your request is approved? I can maintain my productivity levels as well as deal with a personal situation. I believe that I can be more productive working from home in a quiet environment, as well as being less exhausted from the rush hour travel on the days I work in the office. 9. What measures do you believe can be used to assess how your performance is meeting or exceeding expectation? My work is already assessed quarterly and I have project deadlines and standards to meet these would continue to be a valid way to measure my performance. 10. What review process do you propose for monitoring and improvement of your flexible work option? Monthly review of project milestones. Monthly performance exchange. Managing Work Life Balance 2000 18
(To be completed by the Manager/supervisor) 11. Manager/supervisor s comments. How will this option help or hinder the productivity of your team? I don t think there will be any real impact on the team or productivity. Whilst Michael s work is done within the team each member has their own contribution to make to the overall project. Providing we establish some ground rules for communicating on the days he works from home, I think that will overcome any possible issues. We are already focussing on better ways to manage our client expectations and this exercise will make us become more focussed on our own planning. 12. Please give your business / operational reasons for approving or declining this request. I am approving this request because it means that Michael can continue to contribute to the efforts of the team whilst dealing with a personal situation. There will be no change to his job responsibilities or input to the work of the area. The investment in this flexible agreement is minimal and we will easily recoup this as a result of Michael s increased motivation and job satisfaction. We will also be able to extend the hours we are available to clients to 6.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Date 1/7/00 Manager/supervisor s SignatureA `tüç jü z{à Date 1/7/00 Employee s Signature Michael Poole Managing Work Life Balance 2000 19
APPENDIIX 2 FLEXIIBLE WORK AGREEMENT EXAMPLE Flexible Work Agreement Employee Manager/supervisor Job Division Michael Poole Mary Wright Project Engineer Engineering Commencement Date July 15 th 2000 Initial Review date August 15 th 2000 End Date November 15 th 2000 Background Information about the Change As a result of various changes in Michael s personal circumstances he requested that he be able to make changes to his working hours and work location. (see attached flexible work planner). Following in depth discussions about the potential impact on Michael s workload and his availability to meet with both internal and external customer / clients,we agreed that his request to work on Mondays and Thursdays from a home based office was feasible and that on the days he works in the Melbourne office he would start later and finish later. New Work Schedule Standard number hours of work will not change and there will be no changes to salary or other benefits. Hours of work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday will be from 10am 6.30pm. Work will be undertaken from a home based office on Mondays and Fridays between the hours of 7am and 7pm at times to suit Michael. He will be available by phone between 10am and 12pm and 2pm and 5 pm. When a client issue occurs and providing no less than 48 hours notice is given Michael will attempt to alter his schedule to meet these needs. Work Locations On Mondays and Thursdays work will be undertaken from a home-based office at 53, The Drive, Kew Melbourne. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, work will be undertaken from Defence offices. Measures to meet departmental and customer / client needs. On the day s Michael works from home he will be available by e-mail and telephone between the hours of 10am and 12pm and 2pm and 5pm. Departmental meetings occur on Tuesday s which Michael will attend as normal. Communication Plan A separate phone line has been installed in Michael s home based office to enable internet and email access. We have agreed the times he will be available by phone for clients. The pager supplied by Defence to project engineers will continue to be a secondary method of communication when Michael is off-site. Wherever possible project meetings and team meetings will be organised for the days Michael is in the office. In a crisis we can organise a conference call that links Michael to a team or project group meeting. Managing Work Life Balance 2000 20
Performance Measures Current performance agreements will continue to be the basis on which this flexible working arrangement will be measured. Evaluation Criteria Success of this flexible work arrangement will be based on Michael s continued ability to meet his KERs and the requirements of his internal and external customer / clients. All customer / client requests should be acknowledged within 24 hours and action taken to address the issues within 36 hours as per the current customer / client / client service standards. Additional Equipment Supplied No equipment supplied. Defence paid for the installation of the additional phone line. An OH&S assessment has been completed. Signed Date Managing Work Life Balance 2000 21