Flexibility is everyone’s responsibility
Policies are rightly being set by management to create more flexible working environments, but the real focus must now turn to the staff themselves to support it, argues DDB Melbourne managing director Kate Sterling.
I’m incredibly proud how businesses are adopting stronger policies around diversity and more flexible working environments but it’s adoption (and success) goes far beyond just setting a policy.
It has everything to do with fostering an open, respectful and supportive working environment to make this truly work. While policies are rightly being set by management, the real focus must now turn to the staff themselves in ensuring they understand the importance of supporting it.
Flexibility impacts all staff, jobs need to be shared, working styles and processes changed, but above all it requires everyone to muck in.
What’s the point of promising a return to work mum the chance to shorten her hours for school pick up when she’s logging back on until midnight? It totally defies the purpose. All staff (no-matter their personal situation) need to step up and appreciate the value and importance of flexibility even if they’re personally working full-time.
This is something we’ve experienced first-hand at DDB while in the process of re-assessing our policies to ensure they shape a more productive, inclusive workplace.
Too many times I’ve seen employees who shift to a flexible working arrangement, such as a four-day work week, expected to do the workload of a full-time employee. Dumping the same amount of work on someone and giving them less hours to do it isn’t the way to drive a healthy culture within any business.
Instead, roles must be redefined with daily tasks and expected output reassessed and reduced. It’s up to management to ensure the role better reflects the reduced working hours and to set new, more realistic KPIs of what success in the role should look like.
While it’s up to management to set the expectations for the role, the entire business plays a pivotal role to supporting the new working arrangement. This means all employees need to be educated on flexible working, it’s impact on them personally, as a team and to the business overall.
Management need to make it clear that it’s everyone’s role to make this transition work for the short or long-term. Open communication and better education will help employees shake off some of the guilt they feel when trying to duck out of the office unnoticed to make the 3pm school pickup.
Something else we’ve learnt through the development of our flexible working policies, is that it’s a relatively new journey for everyone; employers, new parents, the next generation who want to work the way that suits them. Regular check ins can help identify what is and isn’t working for people, iron out niggles and assist with a more seamless transition early on.
Check ins will also highlight the small wins and success stories within the organisation, which are important to share. We’ve been open about the areas we’re focused on improving and our shortcomings, but it’s important not to forget to celebrate progress.
Maintaining a truly flexible work place is never going to be easy or perfect – it requires full commitment from all staff and an open mind, but most of all acceptance that it’s a team effort not just up to the individual to make this work.
Kate Sterling is DDB Melbourne’s managing director.
‘Flexible’ is a vague abstract word.
An idea you can take to mean whatever you like.
Kate, if ‘flexible’ means giving your staff freedom to choose when they start and finish work, say so. Shout it loud and clear for the world to hear.
Don’t be like most companies. Don’t parrot management-speak of a ‘productive, inclusive workplace’, ‘healthy culture’ blah blah blah.
Tell your staff how you’ll let them choose their working hours.
Ditch the jargon. Spell out in plain English what you mean by ‘open, respectful and supportive’.
Avoid buzzwords like ‘commitment’.
Simply say you will or won’t do something.
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nice article and sentiment Kate.
it’s an incredibly complex issue, not least because agencies are still to a large extent remunerated by a head hours based formula.
the ultimate key to this needs to be judging employees and partners on the results and output of their work and having agencies also remunerated by their output and value added too…not their input.
Once companies become true performance cultures, then ‘time at desk’ or ‘hours in office’ will no longer be as relevant in determining employee success
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It’s great to see the flexible working mindset hitting agencies, who have historically been well-known to work excessive hours. You are right Kate, it takes everyone to welcome the flexible working concept and make sure that it succeeds. Looking forward to seeing a positive change in the industry!
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