<Insert date and facilitator name>

<Insert date and facilitator name>

Session objectives • To increase our understanding of the value of implementing flexible working arrangements • To provide practical strategies to successfully implement flexible working arrangements

Agenda 9:00am Setting the scene – understanding flexible work practices & managers’ responsibilities 9:15 am The good management process 10.30am Morning tea 10.45am Challenges for effectively managing employees working flexibly: • Troubleshooting • Performance management • Grievances • Creating new flexible work arrangements not covered by current policy • Other issues raised in the pre-workshop survey 12.15 Next steps 12.30pm Close <adjust the agenda times to suit the agency’s program>

Your feedback on issues with flexible work practices You raised the following issues: < insert issues raised by workshop participants in their pre-workshop questionnaire > • .. • … • ….

Are there any other issues you want addressed during this workshop?

any work arrangement that changes standard hours, days or location of work on a temporary or permanent basis Flexible working arrangements – not a “9-5” work pattern

The employment frameworks is complex • Flexible work practices are covered by employment legislation, awards and our agency’s policies • <Insert list of policies/procedures available to agency employees>

A lever to develop a highly skilled & motivated workforce Well managed flexible work options can: • increase employee job satisfaction • increase the retention of experienced employees • reduce unplanned absenteeism • attract high calibre applicants to the agency.

Our key workforce issues • Insert you agency’s information

All employees might need to work flexibly at some point in their career • transitioning to retirement • with caring responsibilities (for children, elderly, disabled or illness) • needing improved work life balance • seeking other pursuits e.g. study, travel, health or sport. … working flexibly is not only for women with young children!!!

Flexible working arrangements must meet both the agency’s needs and that of the individual employee Your role is to ensure business outcomes are maintained and to follow the defined processes – not to validate the individual’s need to work flexibly.

Take 10 minutes to discuss this case and be prepared to share your solutions with the group. You are a manager of a small team that has some direct client contact. A staff member, who has a young child, wants to work from home. He needs to maintain his current income. You do not believe that his role suits this arrangement. He provides office based support to the team and answers the general enquiry telephone line for the unit. Another team member has been approved to occasionally work from home when she has major reports or other stand-alone projects to complete. What do you do and why? How do you continue to support him in his role? Case Study

Good management process

Flexible Working Website

A culture which supports flexible working Managers need to: • Understand how flexible working can help you mange your workforce • Be proactive with flexible working practices to create a positive team environment • Be flexible in your approach to the management of employees’ leave • Make sure that an employee considering a change in work arrangement gets appropriate advice on all changes to their entitlements • Attract the strongest pool of candidates for positions to be advertised – consider whether it can be done on a part time basis – and advertise this option as well.

Request changes in work arrangements • Consider the Manager’s Checklist • Make preliminary decision • Organise to meet to discuss with employee • Remember to be • Flexible & creative in approach • Work towards a tailored solution • Be fair and consistent • Handle sensitive issues appropriately

Employees must check the impact of the proposed change on their entitlements Flexible working arrangements can impact an employee’s entitlements, particularly when hours are reduced. • Remuneration • Overtime • Higher Duties • Superannuation • Public Holidays

Negotiate a flexible work arrangement • Meeting between the manager and the employee to: • Review the flexible work request • Identify areas that require additional information • Identify alternatives or workarounds • Explain any conditions or implementation issues • Agree next steps (including the trial stage)

Manage the flexible work arrangement • Get organised • Redesign: reorganise the team, redesign existing roles or develop new roles • Confirm arrangements with HR if necessary • Document the agreement • Update employee agreement and role description • Communicate to team members, clients and stakeholders • Trial • Flexible workers are entitled to the same career development and progression opportunities as other employees. • Performance management • Development plans • Assign a mentor • If arrangement is not working out – modifyor end it.

Morning Tea 10.30 – 10.45am

Performance management – giving effective feedback How to give constructive feedback Bad habits to avoid when giving feedback • Have the meeting in private • Do not personalise the feedback • Be specific • Be consistent • Be timely • Keep your emotions under control • Don’t do all the talking • Define expected actions from the meeting • Document the feedback • Move on • Telling rather than coaching • Withholding negative feedback • Doing the work instead • Being vague or unclear about the expected outcomes • Venting frustration or threatening • Over analysing and putting down the employee

Grievances • Some employees may not be satisfied with your business decision concerning their request to vary their work arrangements. • Insert agency process for managing grievances

What to do if you want to create another work arrangement option?

Small group exercise • Flexible workers are less committed and less productive in their role than full time workers. • You can’t work flexibly when you are in a client facing role. • It is too hard to control flexible workers and monitor their output. • How do I manage staff all working different schedules? • What do I do in emergency situations when my flexible workers aren’t in the office? • Other team members want the same arrangement but the role/their experience doesn’t lend itself to this option? • Can I change an arrangement or end it? • What happens if the employee’s circumstances change again? • Keeping someone engaged whilst on extended LWOP

Taking action What will you be doing differently as a manager going forward?

… and finally There are no guarantees that all your people management problems will be solved but applying flexible work practices will help. Insert the name and telephone number of the agency HR contact person who can help.

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