What kind of flexible working suits you? Working from home? Part-time work, a job share, annualised or compressed hours, term-time only work or flexi-time? Perhaps you know all these options, but many don’t.
And research about home working suggests many organisations are not yet on board with all the flexible options on offer. Recent research from the Chartered Institute for Personnel Development shows two thirds of organisations reject home working requests. The most common form of flexible working is part-time work, but for working mums this might not be the best option. A recent Working Mums survey shows 55% would like to work from home.
But while many organisations may not be being as innovative in their flexible working practice as they can, some are pushing the boat out.
Different types of flexible working
Cambridge University’s women’s network recently met to discuss flexible working. Human resources consultant Sarah Botcherby said the University had been operating ad hoc flexible working practices before the new legislation on flexible working came in in 2003, but they are now more formalised.
Apart from the array listed above, the University also offers career breaks of up to two years for academic and academic related staff such as school managers. Staff taking career breaks can do a minimum of 10% and a maximum of 20% of their work in this period. This can be worked all in one short burst at the end of the break period or used to keep in touch on a regular basis throughout the break.
Support staff who have been at the University for over five years can take unpaid family leave of up to six months. The University also offers a graduated return from maternity leave so women can gradually work up to a minimum of half time following maternity leave. Those on sick leave can also have a phased return.
Finally, officers of the University, such as finance officers, can work part-time for a limited period, but still hold their full-time office, for example, to take care of a preschool child until they start school.
Feasibility
The policy recognises that requests might not always be appropriate, for instance, to wrok part-time to try out a job elsewhere, but the main aim is to recognise that people’s circumstances change, for example, they might need to work less as they near retirement.
“It is not exclusively for people with caring responsibilities,” said Botcherby. “It acknowledges that people have to balance needs outside work with work.” The important thing is whether the request is feasible, she added. The onus is on employees to show that it will work. A trial period can be suggested if managers have doubts about feasibility, or alternatives could be discussed.
One member of staff who has profited from the policy is Nan Taplin, a senior secretary in the Department of Italian and Modern Greek. Nan, who has four children and describes herself as having had “a lot of careers” as a result, had been working “insane hours” before coming to Cambridge. She was seeking part-time work to look after an elderly parent and have time for other commitments. She realised that her part-time work pattern didn’t seem to make sense: work was very hectic during term times and very quiet during the summer holidays. She has developed her own system with her manager whereby she works longer hours during the hectic times and shorter hours in quiet periods. “I thought what was the point of sitting in the office for 22 hours a week in the summer when the staff are away doing research or writing books,” she said. “The faculty have been phenomenally flexible. Their view is that if it makes operational sense it will work.”
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