While structured work arrangements suit only certain jobs, the university embraces intermittent flexibility to help all employees meet day-to-day needs, i.e. remote work during weather-related closures, health appointments, or a short-term alternative schedule that lets an employee balance work with other responsibilities. Given their temporary nature, this type of flexibility is established between employee and supervisor and do not require formal documentation.
Intermittent flexibility is designed with your well-being in mind, enhancing work-life balance, and accommodating the unique demands of certain roles.
Workplace flexibility has many definitions
Managers often consider workplace flexibility to be associated with a permanent schedule outside of traditional working hours or location (remote/hybrid), when, in fact, employees define flexibility in a number of ways including:
Source: Quantum Research
Flexibility Defined
ADAPATIBILITY is the freedom to adjust work pace or schedule to fit personal commitments (for example, the ability to leave work to pick-up children from school)
PERFORMANCE FOCUS is a system where employees are trusted to get the job done and decide when in-person collaboration is needed (for example, their focus is on work output vs. Only physical presence)
AUTONOMY, is the ability to do the job as an employee sees fit and in the time frame that works best (for example, the ability to adjust daily priorities as needed)
WORK-LIFE BALANCE is the capacity to care for self and family (ex. The organizational structure supports well-being)
LOCATION is the power to determine work location (for example, the ability to choose a remote, hybrid, or office location)
The Business Case for Flexibility
Flexibility can help someone structure their schedule in a way that can ultimately support family needs, personal mental and physical well-being, personal and professional development, and professional success. Flexibility also allows employees to navigate planned and unexpected changes in their non-work priorities such as school closings, caring for a sick child or other family member, or taking self or family to an appointment.
Work Arrangements vs. Intermittent Flexibility
Work Arrangements
A documented, formal agreement for an employee working an ongoing remote/hybrid arrangement or flexible schedule. This is established with the supervisor and is reviewed annually at performance reviews.
Examples include:
- Work from a remote location 100% of the time
- Work in the office M/W/F and from home T/TH
- Work 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (outside of traditional business hours)
Considerations for Employees
Questions for employees to consider when planning and proposing work arrangements.
Considerations for Supervisors
Questions for supervisors to consider when planning and reviewing work arrangements for their team members.
Intermittent Flexibility
Refers to flexible work where employees have the option to vary their work schedules periodically or as needed to accommodate personal commitments, health issues, or other non-traditional work needs. This form of flexibility allows employees to balance their work and personal lives more effectively, which may lead to increased job satisfaction, better work-life balance, and potentially higher productivity. Success depends on on-going communication between the employee and supervisor to meet workforce needs.
Examples include:
- Allow employee to leave work early to pick-up an ill child or other family member
- Allow employee to attend a personal event mid-day, either utilizing accruals or a flexible schedule
- Allow employee to problem-solve in effort to accommodate work-life priority
- Allow employee to work from home or other remote locations as needed to tend to personal matters
Putting Intermittent Flexibility into Practice
Tips and ideas to offer intermittent flexibility in your workplace
Putting Intermittent Flexibility into Practice
No matter what generations your employees are from, they all have one thing in common-they want some control over their day. A part of this is the feeling of recognition that they have non-work priorities and responsibilities that can, at times, be non-negotiable. For this reason, providing employees with autonomy, when possible, over how they work (ex. Work schedule or location). When an employee feels supported in their non-work life, they have more focus and energy to give to their work.
Trust your employees to work in the best way possible, given their own abilities, duties, and preferences Your employees are the experts in their role-they know what is working and what’s not. One of the best ways to create a more flexible work culture is to allow people to evolve their role, while meeting the needs of the organization.
If organizations give more autonomy and freedom to employees, that also needs to be accompanied by greater personal responsibility on the part of the employee.
Successful intermittent flexibility requires clear communication between employees and their supervisors. This includes setting expectations, discussing workloads, and coordinating schedules to ensure that work continues smoothly.
When an unnecessary meeting is replaced with a phone call, email, or messenger, this provides the employee more autonomy and feels more respectful of their time.
The ways teams are able to communicate continues to evolve. Explore all options available for communicating; what makes the most sense to ensure that communication does not suffer in a multi-modal workplace.