Where to find a flexible workplace

Does your employer support your work/life juggle? Source: news.com.au

• Workplace flexibility a contentious topic
• Big name Aussie companies bucking the trend
• Part time work among the most popular option

THE world has changed. Work is no longer a place that you go to but a thing that you do.

Does that sound good to you? Well that’s the fresh approach that Stockland takes with their 'flexible working arrangement policy'.

Those four words have attracted a good deal of debate recently, with paid parental leave a red hot item on the election agenda and big name companies like Yahoo ditching their working from home policies in the name of greater efficiency for the bottom line.

But some Australian companies are bucking the trend. Telstra, Woolworths, Rio Tinto, Westpac and BHP Billiton among others, have all been nominated by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WEGA) as companies willing to go the extra mile to accommodate their staff.

Stockland is no exception. The Australian property development company has an enviable array of working arrangements on offer to benefit all its employees. These include working part time, working from home, flexible working hours and an on-site childcare centre.

Crucially, Stockland’s flexible working policy also readily applies as much to working parents as employees with commitments outside of work.

"Lots of our employees are singers and many coach sports teams, so our flexible arrangement allows them to build their lives around their job," said Stocklands diversity manager Julie Tanner.

Part-time work is the company’s most popular option, with 11 per cent of staff taking it up, closely followed by working from home on a casual basis.

But there is no 'one' or 'other'. Ms Tanner said employees can mix and match as they see fit, depending on what arrangement works best for them.

Woolworths' employees also take full advantage of the company's part- time working arrangements. According to a company spokesperson, the long store hours make it easier to accommodate various different working hours and arrangements.

In addition to six weeks paid maternity leave, all employees are given a two week return to work bonus. Woolworths is also currently trialling a work from home option for their office and customer service staff that they plan to implement on a permanent basis in the near future.

Trust is at the heart of this flexibility, in addition to ensuring your management team is 100 per cent on board. Ms Tanner said in many cases, senior management will understand the bottom line justifications for the flexibility policy options but people at the line manager level find it hard to put into practice.

In response, Stockland rolled out a management rollout program to educate their line management team on the pros and cons and how to balance the day-to-day requirements of the arrangements.

This is a vital element to the success of any flexible working arrangement policy and should be emulated by more businesses, according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WEGA).

WEGA Media and Communications Manager Clare Buttner told news.com.au it’s essential that workplace flexibility is considered a management tool, not just doing people a favour.

And how about this. If companies made it easier for women to return to work after maternity leave through flexible working arrangements, we’d see a six per cent increase in GDP to the tune of $25 billion.

"So it's not just about supporting mothers in Australia. It will also contribute to the heart of making Australian companies more productive and competitive," Ms Buttner said.

If your current employer does not currently offer flexible working arrangements there are several realistic options to put on the table.

The WGEA recommends teleworking, access to career breaks and leave as well as work that offers employees the opportunity to grow and learn.

"We need to encourage employers to see the career trajectory - you don’t just go up the ladder anymore, there is no ladder. You weave your way around," she said.

Isn't it about time our business practices and policies reflected that?

What would be your ideal working arrangement?

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