The age of alternative work arrangements is here. Technology now allows employees to perform work-related tasks anywhere at any time. Employers are more willing to accommodate the needs of employees and many have even established alternative work arrangement policies. If you’re considering a change that will afford you work-life balance, flexibility or more time with family, here’s what you need to know about the most common alternative work arrangements.
IF YOU WANT TO WORK FEWER HOURS:
Reduced/Part-Time Schedule.
These arrangements allow employees to work less than a full-time schedule. Their salary is usually prorated to reflect the hours the employee is scheduled to work compared to the standard hours worked by full-time employees.
This could be for you if:
- You want more time to spend with your family or pursue other interests.
- You are a college or graduate student and need time to attend classes and study.
- Receiving a lower salary wouldn’t cause you a financial hardship.
You should watch out for:
- The risk of losing some of your current benefits. Some benefit plans require minimum hours of work for employees to be eligible to participate in the plan. Review the summary plan descriptions of the plans in which you participate (401k, group health, etc.) to determine whether a reduced or part-time schedule would affect your eligibility to participate in these programs.
- The effects of a part-time schedule on your career advancement. If you work less than 40 hours per week, your employer may require you to complete more years of service before considering you for promotion.
- Consistently working hours in excess of the arrangement. Some employees with a part-time schedule complain that work crunches, special projects, and other needs of their employers cause them to end up working more hours than agreed under their alternative work arrangements. In some cases, these employees do not receive additional compensation for time worked in excess of the agreed schedule.
Job Sharing.
This is a variation of a part-time arrangement that allows two persons to share/fill one full-time position. For example, you could work mornings, and your job-sharing partner could work afternoons. Alternatively, you could work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while your job-sharing partner works Tuesdays and Thursdays. You and your job-sharing partner would be required to complete all of the work expected to be covered by the full-time position you are sharing. You would likely also share the compensation allotted for that full-time position. Employers offering this option usually require both employees to hold the same position or job title.
This could be for you if:
- You want to work fewer hours per week, but your employer’s needs might not allow them to simply change your schedule to part-time.
You should watch out for:
- Employers usually classify both employees sharing a position as “part-time” workers who would, therefore, qualify for benefits available only to part-time employees. As mentioned above, you should determine how this arrangement would affect your eligibility to participate in your employer’s benefit plans.
- This arrangement requires close coordination with the direct supervisor and the job-sharing partner regarding the completion of the work assigned to the position. You should make sure there is a clear delegation of tasks between you and your job-sharing partner to avoid confusion and prevent tasks from falling through the cracks. You must also coordinate task completion with your job-sharing partner, as well as other issues such as vacation schedules, coverage during sick/medical leave, and related matters.
- If your job-sharing partner terminates the arrangement or resigns, you may have to find someone else to step in. In these cases, there’s a chance your employer may want to discontinue the arrangement and they could ask you to convert back to a full-time position.
IF YOU WANT TO WORK FULL-TIME, BUT WITH A MODIFIED SCHEDULE:
Flexible Work Schedule (Flextime).
This arrangement allows the employee to work the same number of hours required for a full-time schedule. It, however, permits the fluctuation of the beginning and end times for the work shift. Under this arrangement, you could, for example, start work early at 7:00 am and leave at 3:00 pm. You could also start later in the day at 11:00 am and leave at 7:00 pm.
This could be for you if:
- Your children’s after-school activities require you to leave work early.
- You prefer to start your day very early so you can put in a few uninterrupted hours of focused work before the hustle and bustle of the day begins.
- You live in areas with severe traffic congestion and would rather get in and out of work at times when traffic is manageable.
You should watch out for:
- If there are any regular staff meetings, client meetings, or other recurring events that occur outside your modified schedule, your employer might regularly ask you to work outside the agreed schedule.
Compressed Work Week.
In this arrangement, you would work the same number of hours required in your weekly schedule, but in fewer days. For example, you could work 10 hours a day Monday through Thursday and have a 3-day weekend.
This could be for you if:
- You work far from home and would prefer to commute four days a week instead of five.
- Your weekends are packed with children’s activities and you would prefer not to work on Fridays.
- You attend college and must attend classes during the day on a particular day of the week.
You should watch out for:
- Like the above, if there are any staff meetings, client meetings, or other recurring events that consistently occur while you are out of the office, your employer might regularly ask you to work when you would otherwise be off. Try to select days off that do not coincide with regularly scheduled meetings.
IF YOU WANT TO WORK FROM HOME:
Telecommuting.
Advances in technology have made this a steadily increasing option. Telecommuters work from home or another remote location during part or all of their work schedule. This option can be available to full-time or part-time employees. Sometimes, employers allow telecommuting some days a week, but require presence at the office other days. They will likely also require employees to be present during specific events or meetings. Employers are less likely to approve a telecommuting arrangement for employees with positions that require face-to-face contact with clients or who need access to equipment that would not be available to them at home.
This could be for you if:
- You live far from your office and spend too much time commuting.
- You have young children and would prefer to spend time with them rather than commuting.
- You can focus better and be more productive at home.
- Your work doesn’t require constant face-to-face interaction with clients or co-workers.
You should watch out for:
- Make sure you have all the necessary equipment and technology to work from home. You may need a computer, Wi-Fi access and a way to conduct video conferences or conference calls. Make sure you speak with your employer’s IT representative in advance of starting your telecommuting arrangement. They can tell you what technology you will need to work from home and whether your employer can provide some or all the equipment you will need. Your IT person can also advise how to get the support you may need from them while you are working offsite.
- Make sure you have a designated work area at home that includes all the supplies, equipment and materials you will need. Your work station should be located in an area where you can focus, hold conference calls and work without distractions.
- Consider beforehand how you will deal with potential distractions. Your family members may not understand that while you are physically home, you are working and not available for conversations or other activities. You may need to speak with them in advance and establish rules that will prevent them from interfering with your work.
If you have determined that an alternative work arrangement is right for you, here is our…
CHECKLIST FOR REQUESTING AN ALTERNATIVE WORK ARRANGEMENT:
If your employer has established an alternative work arrangement policy:
- Review the policy to determine the options available to you. Some employers may only allow some of the alternative work arrangements discussed above. Some may allow different arrangements that are more suitable to their business or industry.
- Determine whether any conditions or requirements apply to the option you seek and make sure you meet those requirements or can comply with any conditions. For example, some employers require one year of employment before allowing a request for an alternative work arrangement. This gives them the opportunity to get to know the employee and have confidence that the arrangement will work before approving it. Other employers may not allow an alternative work arrangement for an employee who rated low in an evaluation, is on a performance plan, or has been suspended.
- Determine whether any other limitations apply. For example, some employers allow only a limited time frame for alternative work arrangements. Others allow these arrangements only for a period of time following maternity leave.
- Determine whether you need approval from your immediate supervisor or others prior to requesting the arrangement. If so, consider any possible reservations or objections that person may have and be prepared to address them with possible solutions.
- Complete any paperwork required to enroll in the program. Meet any deadlines established in the policy.
- Determine whether the policy includes a time schedule or term within which your employer will respond to your request. Follow up if you haven’t heard back within the prescribed term.
If your employer hasn’t established an alternative work arrangement policy:
- Prepare a written proposal that details the alternative work arrangement requested.
- Consider how your arrangement would affect your employer and co-workers and anticipate any objections your supervisor could raise. Provide solutions or alternatives to any anticipated issues or objections. Make sure your proposal doesn’t result in shifting work to the person who has to approve it.
- If the arrangement has the potential to yield a benefit to the employer, tell them. For example, if working from home allows you to handle an additional workload or be more productive because there are fewer interruptions, you should mention that in the proposal. If the arrangement allows you to be at the office before or after regular working hours, you could offer to assist clients that are in other time zones and could be under-served by employees working a standard schedule.
- Include in the proposal how you would participate in regularly scheduled meetings or calls, and how you would report to your supervisor while you are off work or working offsite.
- If you need equipment to do your job from home, let your employer know that you have, or can obtain, whatever is required. For example, include in your proposal that you have a computer and Wi-Fi to access the office servers remotely, or that the employer’s IT department has advised that the company can provide the equipment you need.
- Confirm with your employer’s IT department whether any software needs to be installed on your computer to ensure the security of data or information you are working with, or to establish a secure connection to your employer’s servers.
- The proposal should tell your employer how you plan to stay connected with clients and co-workers during any time that you are not at the office, and how they should reach you if there is an urgent situation that requires your attention.
- Be ready to negotiate. Your employer may agree with your request to telecommute two days a week but may not agree with the specific days you proposed. You should be flexible and show your employer that you are considering their needs.
Alternative work arrangements are here to stay. With the right preparation, you can seek the arrangement that’s right for you.