All employees can ask their employer for permanent or long-term changes to their working arrangements. This can be about when, where and how they do their work. 

An older worker could request flexibility for a range of reasons. They may be seeking to either change their working commitments or hours. 

They may also be facing health challenges (of their own or family members). Flexibility can help to balance work and home lives.

There are some common arrangements for flexible work.

Flexible hours

You could offer a range of working hours and allow your employee to choose their start or finish time, for example., between 7am and 7pm. Another option could be to condense hours into fewer days.

Annualised hours

You pay your employee a salary for the whole year. Payments are in equal instalments every month, even if the amount of work varies across months.

Part-time

You allow your employee to work reduced hours or days than the usual full-time equivalent. 

Job-sharing

You hire two or more people to share the tasks and responsibilities of a full-time position.

Working remotely 

If technology and the job allow, employees could work from home or another location. This could be permanent or temporary. It could also be a hybrid arrangement, which is a mix of working remotely and at your workplace. It could work on a roster basis where staff come in on certain days to help reduce your overhead costs or manage available space.

Paid study leave 

If an employee is studying towards a qualification that relates to their job, some of their work time could be spent studying instead of doing their usual tasks.

Flexi leave 

You could offer a range of leave types, such as unpaid leave, trading leave for salaries, or purchasing additional leave.

Giving these requests for flexible work options fair consideration is in everyone’s best interest.

• When recruiting for new roles, include statements like “we are open to flexible work options” in the job advertisement.
• Make sure you have clear principles and processes in place for your staff to make flexible work requests.
• Not all requests have to be accepted, as long as you have given the request fair consideration.
• Think about how the flexible arrangement could be accommodated and what tools or practices could help make it work for your business. The flexible arrangement should be agreed on by both parties and recorded in writing.
• Check in with your staff on how their arrangement is working. It could be adjusted or reconsidered.

You may experience some challenges when it comes to flexible working. Good planning and communication can help you work through them. 

Challenges could include issues with team communication, ensuring employees are accountable for their work, rostering and other human resources (HR) management, and meeting customer needs. 

Offering flexibility can make you stand out from other employers. It can also help you attract and retain staff, foster staff loyalty and morale, and reduce staff absence.

Flexible working arrangement guide(external link) — Employment New Zealand