The Definition Of Flexible Working

So you know you need to get flexible with your work, you want to spend more time at home, so what do you look for? Well as usual between the planet's governments and the HR industry they've come up with a bewildering number of terms to describe every conceivable kind of flexible work. I'm afraid I don't have the power to shorten that list but I have come up with the no-frills guide to the definition of flexible working. Flexible Working 'Flexible Working' is a phrase that describes any working pattern adapted to suit other's needs Flexi Time People start and end the day at different times matched to business requirements by arriving earlier or working longer days. An example of this is that by accruing time each day outside your regular hours you could then use flexi time accrual for family care, school holidays and other personal reasons. Job Sharing Job sharing is an arrangement where two or more people share one full-time job, each working part-time on a regular basis. Job-sharing offers flexibility because it is tailored to suit the needs of the organisation, the job sharers and the nature of the job. School Hours School time is generally from 9.00am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday but varies from school to school. Working part time within school hours will allow you to care for your children before and after school. Home Based Working People spend the majority of their time working from a home based office. There are a number of arrangements for this type of works. Examples are you may be a sales agent or representative or you may have an employer without an office near you so you manage their local operations from a home office, you work for an employer telecommuting but from your own home, or you could be self employed and or work as a contractor or a freelancer. Occasional Home Based Working People spend some time working from home and the rest of the week at the office. Compressed Time People work the same total hours, but over fewer days thus freeing up days to spend on other things. Sometimes they work a combination of long and short days, which fit around other commitments in their lives. An example, instead of working 8.30am to 5.00pm over five days, you may work from 8.00am to 6.00pm over a four day period. Annualised Hours People work varying hours within an annual total. These hours are agreed either weekly or monthly to suit varying circumstances. For example you will get paid the same amount every month even though you don’t work in January. Staggered Hours Staggered hours working has flexible start and finish times. It is not intended to reduce the number of working hours from normal full time hours and does not accrue "extra" hours. The contracted hours and employee benefits remain unchanged. Accrual Of Hours Or Time Banking People work longer hours at some times so that they can accrue time off to use at other times. An example of this would be to work a 10 hour day to enable you to take time off during the school holidays. Volunteer A Volunteer is a person who works without any payment for your skills and time, although you may be reimbursed for expenses. People also volunteer to gain skills. Full Time A person is employed by the Employer between 38-40 hours per week as determined by the Employer. Such work may occur either at the usual place of business, a location to which the business of the Employer requires the employee to travel, from a home office or a combination. Part Time A part time employee works less than full time ordinary hours and has reasonably predictable hours of work. They receive the same employment entitlements (on a pro rata basis) associated with permanent employment, such as personal and annual leave. Casual People are employed on an irregular basis with no set roster or routine as to when they work. Furthermore, there is no guarantee of ongoing employment. Casuals, unlike permanent employees, are employed on an 'as needs' basis, often to meet a changing workload within the workplace. Temporary/Contract A temporary job is one which has all the same conditions and entitlements as a permanent job but has a fixed start and end date and it can be flexible with hours and locations Freelance Is a self-employed person who pursues a profession without a long term commitment to any particular employer. Freelancers sell or contract their work to a client rather than being employed by a business. Self Employment Is where a person works for themselves rather than someone else or an employer that they do not own. To be self-employed, an individual is normally highly skilled in a trade or service for their local community. Self-employed people can also be referred to as a person who works for himself/herself instead of an employer but drawing income from a trade or business they operate personally. Business Opportunity Legal definitions vary. In simple terms, a business opportunity is a packaged business investment that allows the buyer to begin a business. Business opportunities are difficult to define because the term means different things to different people.

Check out our blog about flexible work for parents