Flexibility

What is workplace flexibility?

Flexible work means flexibility in when, where and how work is done.

Why? Flexible work increases performance and productivity, engagement and retention, wellbeing and health, and team inclusion. See Case for action for flexible work.

How to define flexibility broadly in your team? For flexibility to be implemented effectively in teams, it needs to be defined broadly so that flexible work:

  • includes different types of flexibility including flex-time, flex-leave, flex-place and flex-choice (e.g. flexible scheduling for service workers, work from home for office workers)
  • includes formal and informal flexibility (e.g. part-time work [formal] and leaving early for a medical appointment [informal])
  • can be for any reason (e.g. caring for dependents, personal development, community involvement, lifestyle reasons)
  • can be for any job type (e.g. managers and non-managers, any occupation)
  • for all team members (e.g. not just for parents).

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  1. Diversity Council Australia (D’Almada-Remedios, R.) DCA The Case for Inclusion@Work: Inclusion@Work Index 2023-2024, Sydney, Diversity Council Australia, 2024, p. 37
  2. L Heap, ‘Does leave for menstruation and menopause advance women’s rights and gender equality at work?’, The Australian Institute: Centre for Future Work, 29 May 2024
  3. M. Bare et al, “Gender affirmation policies and leave: best practice considerations for employers”, Maddocks, 21 November 2022
  4. S. Palmer-Derrien, ‘Linktree unveils suite of policies setting “the new standard” for parental leave’, Smart Company. 17 June 2021
  5. S Aubrey, “IVF on us: Spotify leads the way with family benefits for Australian staff,” Sydney Morning Herald, 10 October 2021