Flexibility at Work: Balancing the Interests of Employer and Employee

Workplace flexibility polarizes opinion; it is either a necessary prerequisite to survival in the global market or a means by which the rights of workers are eroded. The difference comes from a lack of shared understanding of the concept. Organizations need to get to grips with flexibility, not only to address business problems and cope with legal regulations, but also to respond to the pressures of workforce diversity and labour market tightness. Flexibility at Work brings clarity to this misunderstood subject. It will show you how to obtain the business benefits of flexibility through an approach which addresses the needs of both employer and employee. Peter Reilly breaks down flexibility into five different types, from functional through to financial. He introduces a model of how mutual flexibility might be developed and the preconditions necessary to make it successful. Along the way he cites much evidence of how employers are introducing alternative working arrangements that provide benefits to both parties. Flexibility can reduce costs, improve quality and service, increase productivity, hedge against change, and meet supply needs. Can you afford to ignore the benefits it will bring?