Only poor leaders knock back flexible work

Yep - that's right. If you've ever knocked back a request for flexible work from one of your employees, I'm suggesting that you take a long hard look at your own leadership skills.

I've been sitting on this post for a while now. Slightly fearful that there'll be an exception I hadn't thought of; a role requires exactly the same person to be physically present for exactly the same hours every week; a job so important that how it's performed can not be altered in any way.

I have not found a single example and yet, every week, I hear another story about talented, smart and hard working employees being knocked back for flexible work. It makes my head explode. There is absolutely nothing wrong with those seeking flexible work and a whole lot wrong with their leaders.




A quick study of most effective leaders will show that they are strong in the following areas:

• Problem solving
• Establishing deliverables
• Holding employees accountable

Leadership of flexible workers requires EXACTLY the same.

Problem solving

Good leaders work with their teams and follow decision making processes before determining an outcome. If an employee has a small child at kindy 3 days per week or is studying nights, they work together to plan a roster that suits both. Great leaders understand the best outcomes can be win-win and problem solve to get there. 

Establishing deliverables

Good leaders are clear on what is required of their team. They plan, budget and deliver whatever good or service is expected from them. They know how to express their deliverables to their team. They know what their team is working towards and they don't need to be physically present for every step in the process. They understand employee strengths and allocate work based on these strengths and availability. 

Hold employees accountable

Good leaders will recruit, develop and train their teams to deliver. When employees are not delivering, they will be appropriately managed. A good leader measures performance based on behaviours and delivery, not where the person was working from or what days they worked. 

Requesting flexible work arrangements put a huge onus on the employee to state: where and when they will be working; what time they will turn up and depart; how they will hand over work; how they will manage collaboration and team work; and how they can be contacted for surprise jobs... 

Yet I have NEVER heard the same requests made of a full time worker. It seems that many leaders will let Sleepy Jones rock up day in day out, keeping his chair warm in the corner, watching the clock all day and barely delivering but the edge he has is that he is physically present. F..I..V..E    L..O..N..G   D..A..Y..S   P..E..R   W..E..E..K...

Skill-up  leaders! 

Next time a smart and hard working person comes to you for flexible work, consider your own leadership capacity before saying no. I'll certainly be asking what's wrong with you and your role such that you can not handle an employee with flexible conditions and I'm sure there will be others too!

Workplace flexibility

My concerns with workplace flexibility became most significant when I was pregnant with my first child. Although Rio had generous maternity leave provisions for the time, I assumed that my career would stall when kids came along. I thought that you applied for maternity leave, had a baby, came back after a year or so in some sort of part time position that was not quite as interesting as your pre-maternity role and did it all again in a year or two. It was talking to women who’d been there before me that opened my eyes to new possibilities. They told me about contract work from home while on maternity leave that could slowly build up as the baby got older. They told me about negotiating so that my bonuses and entitlements were not adversely affected. They gave me the confidence to pitch for the work I could do that would be interesting and add to my development. 

When considering children, you don’t need to accept a career standstill – unless that’s what you want. We are lucky to be working in dynamic times; use your imagination to pitch your skills and limited availability at work that will stimulate you and add to your development. One of the women who had been there before me and gave me great advice was my good friend and the other half of the general manager business improvement at Rio Tinto iron ore, Fern Dyball. We were the first women to be promoted in a job share capacity at senior level in the organisation. Our great opportunity did not come by passively waiting to be anointed. We both demonstrated flexibility and determination to prove to Rio Tinto that job works at senior levels. Like all great partnerships, we work incredibly hard to have a consistent message and support the development of our team.

My experiences with workplace flexibility can be summarised as:

1. Use your network when considering a family and seek advice from those that have been there before you. 
2. Know that women have only been in mining  a relatively short time and our organisations are still learning – this provides you with an opportunity to shape new and exciting workplace flexibility.
3. Never accept … “You are the right person for the job… it’s just that we want full time…” when there are great examples out there supporting flexible work practices.

Let’s be honest though. Flexibility is the bit that best for you. If you want a promotion or great work arrangements, you have to think of it from the organisations point of view. What do they get?

In the case of job share: Through experience at doing this at a senior level, I know Rio Tinto got great value. Because of our diverse background, skills and interest, Fern and I were actually greater than the sum of our parts. We knew we would be and we pitched accordingly.