MEDIA RELEASE
10th July 2008
Survey finds 49% of full-timers want more
flexible work arrangements
...and Brisbane HR firm Astor Levin offers some advice on what employers need to do to keep them.
Recent research by Brisbane-based HR and Change Management consultants Astor Levin across 29 industry sectors
indicates that 49% of full-time employees would like to use flexible working arrangements either now (31%) or at a
future time (18%). The survey found that 39% of the workforce currently use flexible work arrangements.
With employers in Australia facing a deficit of around 195,000 workers over the next five years*, those not offering
flexible work arrangements are very likely to lose out to those that do. Many business owners still want to see everyone
busily working away (or appearing to busily work away) at their desk, five or more days a week, believing this is an
indication of productivity or commitment. They also feel they can’t ‘control’ what the employee is doing each day if
they aren’t sitting in the same building. For businesses that are still stuck in this “old way” of thinking Astor Levin
senior consultant Elissa Faint recommends the following actions:
•work out if there is an advantage to offering flexible work arrangements (through eg staff surveys/exit interviews)
•determine the organisation’s goals and whether offering flexibility would have a positive or negative effect
•evaluate the cost impact (including health and safety and legal/insurance implications)
•get ‘buy-in’ to the concept from the management team
Once flexible work arrangements have been adopted an organisation needs to make sure the right policies and
procedures are in place, carefully consider who goes on to flexible arrangements (ie based on work and productivity
record) and finally run the program - initially at least - on a trial basis.
Ms Faint explains, “The current scarcity of employees in many industry sectors means that employers must take a close
look at what they are offering their workforce - if flexible working arrangements would allow them to attract and retain
the best candidates they should certainly be considering introducing this to maintain their competitive advantage.”
Astor Levin are holding a series of workshops in Brisbane on change management and equipping managers for change,
*Workforce Tomorrow
(ends)
About Astor Levin
Astor Levin Pty Ltd is a Brisbane based human resource and management consultancy firm that provides services to a
range of private and public sector clients throughout Australia. The team consists of highly qualified consultants with a
mixture of human resource management, business analysis and organisational psychology backgrounds with global
experience. Their client base ranges from small business to ASX200 companies. More information at
For more information please contact David Bateson on 07 3901 1055 / 0402 332287.
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