• Non-standard start and finish times: Start and finish times vary within regular contracted hours of duty. Hours are based on the employee’s needs and approved by a supervisor.
• Compressed working week: Working fulltime hours in less than the traditional 5-day workweek by increasing daily hours worked.
• Purchased leave: The University has several leave options for you to consider, please contact HR Assist for more detail.

• Part-time hours: A reduction in number of hours worked per week or fortnight. This requires a balance between a staff member’s personal requirements, role requirements and impact on requestee’s team.
• Transition period part-time: Staff member gradually returning to work after a major life event (e.g., birth or an adoption of a child) by working part-time for a set period of time and eventually returning to full-time work.
• Job share: No more than two staff members sharing the duties of one full-time position with each staff member working part-time. Each job share partner will have the same position title and position description. This arrangement is appropriate when the responsibilities are distinct and easily separated.
• Transition to Retirement: The University have several retirement options for you to consider, please refer to the retirement procedure or contact your local HR representative for more detail.

• Working from home: Work one or some of your working pattern from home. Working from home arrangements requires consideration of health and safety requirements.
• Alternate work location: Work at another University of Melbourne building or campus alternate to your official place of work.

Staff

• Explore different flexible working options & identify what will assist you in working effectively
• Identify benefits, potential challenges and impacts with proposed arrangements for you, your team and service delivery.
• Identify what needs to be adjusted with tasks and processes
• Consider how flexibility will work in your team environment (meetings, collaboration, communication, distribution of work)
• Be prepared to consider alternatives

It is also important to think about the benefits of time on campus such as team engagement, learning from others, opportunities for incidental discussion and problem solving, collaboration and networking.

Supervisor

• Be open to exploring creative solutions
• Reflect on whether you might have biases or preconceived ideas about flexible working
• Consider the benefits of the different types of FWA’s such as enabling diversity and inclusion, supporting wellbeing, maximising office space, and increasing productivity
• Consider what can be adjusted in the role, tasks and the team to support a request
• Consider how flexibility will work in your team environment (meetings, collaboration, communication, distribution of work), you may need to adjust your leadership style
• Create an environment where staff feel comfortable to request and discuss FWA’s (consider a short survey to understand the needs of your team
• Consider how office and research space can be maximised – what are the current and future communication, ICT and equipment needs of the team to enable flexibility and maximise productivity?
• Be prepared to consider alternatives that meet the needs of the individual and team

Staff

• The type of flexible work arrangement that will support your personal and work circumstances
• The timing of the proposal
• Adjustments required (does this impact your job role and performance expectations – e.g. if time fraction is being reduced?)
• Impact on the team/clients and how this will be managed
• Work set up and equipment required
• Confidentiality and security of information management and OH&S requirements (if working off campus)
• How the arrangement will be reviewed

Supervisor

• Schedule adequate time to discuss and consider the staff members’ request
• Is the request for an FWA due to a protected attribute (for example, parental or carer responsibilities, disability, or health condition)? *
• Reasonable adjustments to the role, tasks, processes, and team to determine the viability of the arrangements
• When approving be clear on what has been agreed to, clarify expectations and the time frames involved.
• If after exploring all options the request cannot be approved, check with People & Culture that the decision to decline is reasonable. Communicate the reasons for declining the request to the employee in person and in writing within 21 days. Offer to set a future date to revisit the request
  
  * If a staff member is requesting an FWA due to a disability or health condition seek further advice from People and Culture and MDHS OHS Team about reasonable adjustments to ensure OH&S needs are met.

Staff

Ensure team members, and where relevant, customers and stakeholders are aware of your working arrangement.

Submit required documentation/systems updates:

• Reducing/changing your working days via time fraction/work pattern change request. Access the guide here: Modifying your Time Fraction/Work Pattern in Themis
• Working from home via  HR 42 - Home Based Work Agreement - Professional Staff
• Applying for leave via Themis self-service
• Purchasing additional leave HR 10PL - Application for Purchased Leave
• Extending your parental leave via the HR 50A - Application for Parental Leave
• Transitioning to retirement - further information is available here

Supervisor

• Document the arrangement to ensure a shared understanding of what has been agreed to
• Clearly define and communicate performance expectations and ways of working
• Communicate the arrangements with team members
• Ensure any changes are actioned, such as approving leave or part-time work arrangements are submitted in Themis.
• If the changes are working outside the span of ordinary working hours seek further advice from HR Assist

Staff

• Discuss effectiveness of arrangements including any need for refinements during regular “check-ins” and career discussions
• If arrangements are not working discuss and agree on adjusting or reverting to previous work arrangements 
• Note the benefits and successes and share your flexible working story with others