How do I negotiate for flexible working hours

How do I negotiate for flexible working hours How Do I Negotiate Flexible Working Hours?Posted December 18, 2013, by Jo Messer Hi Jo, Im a working mum and would like to have more flexibility with my hours so I can work around my family commitments. Whats the best way to broach this with my boss? I dont want him to doubt my commitment to work Ill do just as many hours but just want more flexibility. Anne, account manager, 35 Working flexible hours is becoming more and more common, and there are plenty of reasons why. Flexible hours have been shown to lead to greater job satisfaction, improved productivity and higher motivation and morale. Employers also get the added bonus of reduced staff turnover and absenteeism and retaining skilled staff. Flexible working arrangements fall under the National Employment Standards (NES), which are governed by the Fair Work Act. In Australia, 99 per cent of employees are covered by this system, but State or Territory laws about flexible work arran gements apply if they give employees a better entitlement than the NES. You first need to ensure that you have the right to ask for flexible work arrangements. Under NES rules, employees have the right to make a request if they Have been with their current employer for at least 12 months or are a casual employee who has been working regularly for the past 12 months (and is likely to continue working regularly) Are a parent or guardian of a child who is school age or younger Are a carer (as defined by the Care Recognition Act 2010) Have a disability Are 55 or older Are experiencing family or domestic violence Are caring for or supporting an immediate family or household member who requires care or support because of family or domestic violence Step 1 Decide what arrangements would be suitable You need to think carefully about what outcome youre seeking. Are you looking to change your hours of work for example, change your start or finish times, or work fewer hours overall? Are you a fter a job share arrangement or split shifts? Or do you want to change your work schauplatz and work from home? Whatever you decide, you need to approach your request professionally and do your research. Step 2 Ask your employer in writing You also need to put your request in writing. Provide your employer with information on your current work arrangements, outline the reasons why you want to change them and offer possible solutions. You may also want to highlight some of the benefits this will provide for both you and your employer. You could suggest a trial period to see if the new arrangement works and make a time to review down the track. Remember that your employer will probably have to discuss your request with senior management or HR and it may take some time to get an answer. By law, your employer has to accept or refuse your request within 21 days and they can only refuse your request on the basis of reasonable business grounds. For more information you can call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 or visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website. Jo Messer is a Career Development Specialist who has many years of experience in supporting and guiding students and graduates of some of Australias most respected universities, as well as mature-aged clients, across all facets of their career. She is a Professional Member of CDAA and an active member of NAGCAS. Whether you have a specific question about how to achieve your career goal or something more general, Jo is available to provide you with up-to-date advice. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchestime management techniques at workeffective oral and written communication skillsattention to detail skillsdefine communication skills11 top tips for effective time management CoursesBachelor of Social Wo rkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJo MesserRelated ArticlesBrowse moreCAREER ADVICECommunicationsCareer In Focus Public RelationsPublic relations pros love what they do. Its an exciting and rewarding industry and whether you like to write, pitch, research or strategise theres a role for you. We take a look at the different areas of PR, most popular jobs, income guides and the best courses to take for a carer in public relations.Online study10 Online Education Myths BustedThere are a lot of myths out there about online education. Weve busted 10 so you can see why online study might be for you.Introducing Open Training InstituteCareer FAQs is pleased to welcome Open Training Institute as the newest member of our distance education family. Get awesome at something that matters