Flexible work and work-life balance issues are in high profile in the community and demand for
flexible work in the Australian workforce is increasing significantly. The trend is driven by labour
market, social, demographic and legislative changes. It is a trend which is growing as the
representation of women, parents, carers, and older workers increases.
Flexible working arrangements can help employees balance the changing demands of work and
personal life and can benefit the employer by contributing to improved performance and
productivity. Flexible work opportunities may also assist to attract and retain people with valuable
skills and is an important contributor to the optimal participation of diverse groups in the
workforce such as older workers, employees with disabilities and those with family and caring
responsibilities. In multi-generational workforces, differing life cycle demands may result in any
staff member requesting flexible work arrangements.
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Flexible working opportunities can benefit everyone: employers, employees and their families. Most employers now recognise that it makes good business sense to provide flexible working opportunities for their staff. What is 'flexible working'?
'Flexible working' is a phrase that describes any working pattern adapted to suit your needs. Common types of flexible working are: part-time: working less than the normal hours, perhaps by working fewer days per week
flexi-time: choosing when to work (there's usually a core period during which you have to work)
annualised hours: your hours are worked out over a year (often in set shifts with you deciding when to work the other hours)
compressed hours: working your agreed hours over fewer days
staggered hours: different starting, break and finishing times for employees in the same workplace
job sharing: sharing a job designed for one person with someone else
home working: working from home