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Flexible work arrangements - work flexibility in the Australian workplaceWhy don’t work-life policies work?Important lessons for organizations responding to the new Right to Request Flexibility legislationWork-life policies are a feature of best practice organizations, and have been linked to the following business benefits(1): > Attracting and retaining employees But research has consistently found that work-life policies alone are insufficient to achieve such benefits. Organizational culture has a powerful, mediating effect on the effectiveness of work-life policies including how well policies are implemented and used by staff(2). A recent study of working parents conducted by Parent Wellbeing and the University of Adelaide revealed valuable lessons for organisations currently responding to the new National Employment Standards which include the right for working parents to request flexibility in the workplace. Work-life policies in AustraliaOur study revealed that 55% of respondents either worked for organizations that did not have work-life polices, or they did not know whether their organization had work-life policies. These findings are concerning because the availability of work-life policies, particularly flexibility, is one of the key markers of an effective workplace(3). Amongst those organizations that did provide work-life policies, the top 5 policies available to employees and used by employees were: > Flexible hours The top 5 work-life policies that respondents desired were: > Flexible hours The work-life policy most desired by employees but least offered was Wellbeing programs. Wellbeing programs have shown to increase employee wellbeing and, therefore, increase organisational productivity and bottom line performance, and play an important role in increasing the effectiveness of any work-life policies offered(4). The study also discovered an important link between work-life policies and an organization’s work-life culture. Work-life culture: The missing linkThe availability of work-life policies and employee use of work-life policies is an important precursor to creating a positive work-life culture. The study found that a work-life culture was more evident in organizations that provided work-life policies such as Flexible Hours and Part-Time Work compared to those organizations that did not provide these policies. This is important as the study found that work-life culture is strongly linked to employee job satisfaction, life satisfaction and employee engagement. Lessons for organizations1. Clear, well communicated and desirable work-life policies are essential for an effective workplace. 2. Wellbeing programs for employees and management support work-life policies and help establish a supportive work-life culture. 3. A supportive work-life culture is strongly linked to job satisfaction and employee engagement, which in turn leads to organisational benefits. 4. Offering effective work-life policies and a supportive work-life culture can be a major differentiator for organisations attempting to attract and retain top talent. About the study The study was an online survey of Australian working parents conducted by Sophie Mumford, Professor Helen Winefield of the University of Adelaide, and Jodie Benveniste, Director of Parent Wellbeing. Parent Wellbeing offers innovative Work + Life Wellbeing workshops, coaching and consulting to improve employee wellbeing and organizational performance.For more information please call 08 8278 4342 or email info@parentwellbeing.com
(1) Galinsky & Backon (2009) ‘When work works: 2009 bold guide for making work work’, Families & Work Institute. (2)Johnson, Shannon & Richman (2008) ‘Challenging common myths about workplace flexibility: Research notes from the multi-organization database’, Community, Work & Family, 11, 2, 231–242. |
