How
Common concerns and how to deal with them
2. Are flexible work practices viable options in the retail sector?
Most managers find that some flexible work options are not applicable in every work area (eg a person working from home on a regular basis when their job involves a high level of customer interaction) but others find that when they challenge their assumptions about the nature of work, many more flexibility options emerge as possibilities. To consider whether a particular flexible work option is viable in your business, you could use the following process:
- Coverage. Review your coverage (eg hours of opening) and work output needs and consider what added value flexibility could bring to your business. For example, offering greater flexibility in hours of work or shift rosters could attract a more diverse applicant pool, enabling you to reflect the diversity of your customers (eg your products might be aimed at a younger demographic, or your store might service a substantial base of older members of the community).
- Consultation. Consult with all staff on their views about introducing greater flexibility (expect some staff to have negative views about the viability of some flexible work options) and ensure that all staff understand the intent of flexibility.
- Reasons. Don’t require employees to give reasons for wanting to have greater flexibility. Encourage them to help answer questions like, “How will we get the work done to the same standard by having people working more flexibly?” “How could flexibility improve our level of customer service and productivity.” “How could flexibility expand our coverage on weekends and public holidays, and provide more options for shift rosters?”
^ Top