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!

Jobs for girls...

Growing up on the farm and without brothers, it simply never occurred to me that some jobs just weren't for girls. I was clearly naive. While studying mining engineering at Wollongong in NSW, I was stunned when told that women were not welcome at the local underground coal mines. In fact, I did not believe it until my first excursion when I was told to wait outside the crib room while all of my peers went in for a lunch, lest I be offended by the pictures of nude women plastered all over the crib room walls. 

At the time I accepted this treatment as just part of the workplace. I didn't mind eating my sandwiches alone under my cap light. I didn't mind always having to wear ill-fitting men’s PPE because women’s PPE simply did not exist. I didn't mind the liberal use of the c word or the fact that I could not use a toilet until well outside the mine and into the sanctuary of the admin office. In fact, I thought it was all rather exciting and went along with it in good humour.

It’s only in recent years that I look back on this sexism and gratefully acknowledge how far the industry has come. I don’t consider myself a trail blazer – greater women and men than me effected these changes, but I have spent a lot of time talking to other women in the industry about their experiences and challenges. These conversations have shaped my career and the role I am in now.