What does 'flexible work' mean in an employment context? We break it up into two categories, namely, ‘hours of work’ and ‘place of work’
Flexible work hours can be full-time, part-time, or project-based. Place of work can be remote, hybrid or in-office. Flexibility is whether or not you need to operate within the traditional 8-5 in the office or if there’s some room due to various circumstances.
For example, as a working mom, you could have a full-time, remote role where you have flexible start and finish times or a part-time, hybrid job where you only work mornings and need to be in the office for three days a week.
With flexibility generally comes a set of core working hours where the employee could either have a flexible schedule for the start and end times that they work, or their work time is entirely up to them as long as top-quality work is delivered on deadline.
Flexibility terms are agreed upon during a contract signing phase of employment.
You might find this blog interesting: Five company benefits to employing remote workers
Here are some more specific questions and answers on flexibility at work:
Define Flexible working and what it means.
Flexible work or flexi work is when a worker is not required to work a standard 8am to 5pm day in the office. The employee can work hours before, during or after this time frame to complete the required work.
Must a certain amount of hours be completed?
It depends. If the employer expects daily, weekly or monthly hours to be filled then this is agreed up front with the employee. If it is an outcomes based assignment, then the hours may be variable and the job complete when the deliverables on the assignment completed.
Is Flexible work always office-based?
No, some work can be done from a remote location such as a home office. If you as an employer are looking to retain and hire skilled Moms, then a flexible working arrangement might work well for the employee and the business.
Does starting early or ending late constitute flexible working?
Yes. Most Moms, however, would prefer a reduced-hour day or the flexibility to complete specific hours/tasks from home.
Why do people choose flexible work?
Employees can adjust their work schedules to accommodate hobbies, family responsibilities and other personal tasks that need to be undertaken. It saves travelling time if it can be done outside of peak traffic congestion.
What are the advantages of flexible working for employees?
An enabling of work and family life integration, more productive, less time spent in the traffic.
What are the advantages for employers?
Higher staff loyalty, higher levels of motivation, less absenteeism, more productivity, less overtime, lower running costs of office space etc.
Are certain people exempt from participating in flexible work?
It depends on the employer, but flexible working is becoming far more acceptable as technology assists employees in working remotely.
Does South Africa have legislation on flexible hours?
No. The Labour Relations Act does not single out flexible workers. However, a person who works for one employer for more than 24 hours per month is covered by the Act, and this excludes independent contractors.
