A new, free web tool designed to help senior professionals and managers to understand, negotiate and implement more flexibility in their roles has been launched.
Work Re-tune is an interactive website which has been written using the expertise of Working Families and Sapphire Partners, supported by the government’s quality part-time work fund.
It can be viewed in two ways – from the employee perspective and from the manager’s point of view. It includes advice on the types of flexible arrangements available, negotiation and implementation, rights and responsibilities, the legal position and case studies. Users work through a series of questions which help them to assess opportunities, barriers and concerns, both personal and professional, when considering a change to their work patterns.
According to deputy minister for women and equalities Barbara Follett, there are 14 million people working flexibly in the UK, a figure expected to rise by an extra 4.5 million after the government’s recent announcement that the right to request flexible working will be extended to parents with children up to the age of 16.
“This unique new resource challenges the myth that senior roles cannot be flexible,” said Sarah Jackson, chief executive of Working Families. “It helps both senior people and their employers to think afresh about how a role can be done differently. Successful flexible working at a senior level is a win for both the organisation and the employee.”
