Advantages and Disadvantages of Flexible Working - Essay Example

? Human Resources Human Resources What benefits for employers and employees are associated with the implementation of flexible working arrangements within an organisation? Discuss where resistance to flexible working might come from and why? What might be the other barriers to the effectiveness of flexible working practices and how would you overcome them? Before discussing the benefits of implementing flexible working arrangements, it is necessary to present its different types first. Schaefer talks about four types of flexible working arrangement (2005). The first type is the flex time where the employees are presented a range of starting and ending times for the workday but there is a mandatory “core” time in the middle of the day. The second type which Schaefer discussed is the compressed work weeks where the employees will complete 40 hours in less than five days (2005). Telecommuting is another arrangement where the employees work according to a schedule from a remote location usually in his home. The last type of flexible work arrangement is the part-time work or job sharing where employees share the same position; thus, working fewer hours. Heathfield points out that the benefits of a flexible work arrangement for employees include flexible time for family, work, and other obligations and responsibilities of the employee; saves on commuting time and transportation cost; eliminates the hassle of traffic and stressful commuting during rush hours; gives the employee more control on his schedule and work environment and reduces burn out (2011). Heathfield goes on to say that this kind of work arrangement allows the employees to work at a time where they feel they are more productive. She also states that flexible work hours for parents may also reduce the expense of paying for childcare hours. Heathfield mentions several advantages for the employers as well, with the implementation of flexible work arrangements (2011). Employers can expect an increase in the morale and commitment of their employees. This would result in reduced absenteeism, tardiness and employee turnover. Another benefit for the employer emphasized by Heathfield is that it can extend the operation of some departments of the organization such as the customer service (2011). Furthermore, the company will develop an “image as an employer of choice with family friendly flexible work schedules” (Heathfield, 2011). The resistance of employees from flexible work arrangements comes from the possibility that their salaries will also be reduced with fewer work hours (Graduate Prospects Ltd., 2011). Graduate Prospects further cites loneliness and a sense of isolation from colleagues as other reasons why some employees resist flexible work hours. Some workers frown at the idea of working flexi time because it is something that is imposed on them and they are not given a choice. There is no dedicated work space for telecommuting arrangements. Employees should be more disciplined and organized because there is no one to monitor them. For employers, it is hard to evaluate the performance of employees; thus, a hindrance to the possibility of promotion. One of the barriers to the effectiveness of flexible working hours that was identified is the implementation of the program itself. Some managers or employees might not be open to the idea in the beginning. This could be addressed by planning carefully the options available, assessing the needs of the business including those of the employees and developing strategies for the implementation (JobAccess, 2010). Another barrier raised is that certain job positions are not conducive to flexible work arrangements and some employees are not qualified for telecommuting arrangements. This problem can be tackled by screening the employees who have the skills and ability to work on their own and offering the option to them. Management should also study and identify the positions which are suitable for flexible work arrangements. 2. You work for an organisation that has decided that line managers will be asked to take more personal responsibility for staff selection. As you have studied HRM at university you are concerned that some of them may inadvertently say or do things which will lead to claims of discrimination by some applicants. Prepare a paper for the senior management explaining the “do’s and don’ts” which managers should be warned about. Include example mini case studies of the sorts of mistakes that could be made and the consequences. Line managers who have the responsibility for staff selection should follow a set of guidelines to ensure that they do not become labeled as discriminating among applicants. Since the line manager will be given a bigger responsibility in the task of staff selection, it is imperative that he knows the job description and the qualifications they are looking for. It is his duty to discuss the requirements of the job with the HR head. It is important that the managers choose the applicant based on job-related qualifications (University of Chicago, 2011). Witkin suggests several tips for mangers responsible for the selection and recruitment of employees (Witkin, n.d.). According to Witkin, before scheduling an interview, the manager should plan ahead and write down the questions he intends to ask (n.d.). He should also anticipate the questions that will be asked by the applicant and be ready to answer therm. The manager should not agree or disagree with the applicant’s statements. Asking probing personal questions not related to the job should be avoided by the manager. To avoid being accused of discrimination, the manager should refrain from asking questions that pertain to age, disability, status, race, color, ethnicity and religion. The interview process must be administered consistently. The manager should not rush the interview process. The manager should also establish rapport with the applicant, whether he is an internal applicant or someone from outside the organization. He should treat all candidates equally and must not show any biases or prejudices. He should avoid talking about himself but rather listen to what the applicant wants to say. The managers should learn how to use the interview as a way of assessing the applicant. A typical example of a manager discriminating against applicants is when he hires someone who is less qualified over a more qualified applicant because of racial discrimination. Since the manager is an American, he selected the applicant who is also an American although he is less qualified for the job. The other candidate for the job is an Asian who is more qualified than the American. This is a clear mistake by the manager who can even be sued for discrimination on the job. Another case where a manager might commit a mistake in recruiting applicants is when he discriminates against applicants with disabilities. For example, the job position to be filled up is for a computer technician. A physically-handicapped (person who has only one leg) individual applies for the job. During the interview, the manager was impressed with his qualifications and thought that he is a good candidate to fill up the vacancy. He suddenly noticed the disability and cut short the interview. In this case, the manager was discriminating against the disabled applicant who was otherwise qualified for the job even if he was physically-handicapped. A possible consequence of his act is he can be sued for failing to comply with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. In conclusion, it is believed that line managers can take on a more active role in the recruitment of people who will be working under their department. It is however important that they be properly guided with the various principles and laws which affect the recruitment process. Reference List Graduate Prospects Ltd. (2011). Flexible working: Is it right for me? [Online]. Available at http://ww2.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Flexible_working/What_is_it_/p! eXemkpa. [Accessed 17 August 2011]. Heathfield, S. M. (2011). Advantages and Disadvantages of Flexible Work Schedules? [Online]. Available at http://humanresources.about.com/od/employeebenefits/f/flex_schedules.htm. [Accessed 17 August 2011]. JobAccess. (2010, September 8). How to provide a flexible workplace. [Online]. Available at http://jobaccess.gov.au/Employers/Before_you_start/Preparing_and_modifying_the_wor kplace/Pages/How_to_provide_a_flexible.aspx . [Accessed 17 August 2011]. Schaefer, P. (2005). Flexible Work Arrangements: Employer Solutions to Common Problems . [Online]. Available at http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/flex-work.htm. [Accessed 17 August 2011]. University of Chicago. (2011, July 15). Recruitment and selection process. [Online]. Available at http://hrservices.uchicago.edu/fpg/policies/200/p202.shtml. [Accessed 17 August 2011]. Witkin, C. (n.d.). Staff Selection, Hiring and Interviewing . [Online]. Available at http://www.libsci.sc.edu/bob/class/clis724/SpecialLibrariesHandbook/handbook.htm. [Accessed 17 August 2011]. Read More