Flexible Work

Roles and responsibilities

Principal responsibilities

Principal responsibilities include:

• adopting a strategic approach to flexible work and ensuring that the achievement of business objectives drives flexible work planning
• building a climate supportive of flexibility and work-life balance including communication of the business needs in which flexible work options have to operate
• applying the flexible work guiding principles
• principles and the processes set out in this document
• processing flexible work requests in a timely manner
• transparent and fair decision making with each case being considered on its merits
• documenting all discussions and decisions
• considering the impacts that flexible work arrangements may have on colleagues and stakeholders and working to address these openly and transparently
• approaching requests for flexible work with an open mind
• ensuring clarity when communicating the business reasons for not approving the request
• ensuring the capacity to implement the decision and regular review of the arrangement with the employee

Employee responsibilities

Employee responsibilities include:

• appropriately assessing personal objectives with respect to work-life balance and being open minded about how these can be achieved in the relevant workplace
• being aware of the factors principals must consider when assessing requests for flexible work
• applying the flexible work guiding principles and the processes set out in this document
• working with principals and school leaders to ensure flexible work arrangements operate effectively in the school
• being open to genuine negotiation about the type of flexible work arrangements available or the details of the original request
• considering the impacts that flexible work arrangements may have on colleagues and stakeholders, and working with principals to address them openly and transparently
• being prepared to review the arrangement periodically and working with principals and school leaders to address issues as they arise