Getting the Balance Right - Information for Managers
You will need to educate yourself about the minimum standards and different types of agreements possible under industrial relations laws. Be aware that you can offer more than the legal minimum. Download information about minimum standards (PDF) 498.52 kB and relevant legislation.
have you thought about?
Managers can lead cultural change in their organisations. Photo: Tara Moore
As a manager, you have the responsibility to enable, empower and engage your staff to identify policies that will support work and family balance.
Open communication, teamwork and flexibility are the keys to finding this balance.
The Queensland Government Department of Industrial Relations and Employment has some helpful tips for changing workplace culture.
stuck in the middle? one manager's experience
'All managers know about balancing the operational demands of the agency, including service delivery and meeting staff needs. Often, your first response to a request is 'yes', because it's hard to say 'no' to reasonable requests by individuals. But each individual request is not in isolation from the whole organisation. It's important to have a clear and transparent process. That way, when you can't approve a request for an operational reason, you aren't seen as being difficult. Instead, your decision can be understood in an organisational context'.
~Manager, small NGO
Creating cultural change in your organisation
Cultural change can be a long process. As a manager, you can support this process through good communication and leading by example.
Communicate a consistent message across your organisation. Keep it simple and focused: 'Flexible arrangements are good for women, their families and our organisation'.
Set an example and access flexible options yourself. That way, you create a climate where staff can discuss their needs openly and feel comfortable to use the policies themselves.
Working together for family friendly policies
Implementing family friendly policies provides an excellent opportunity to form a partnership with a sister organisation or similar service. Partnerships can provide you with support and reduce workloads. By sharing the process with each other, you may also find creative solutions.
Shared resources, reduced stress
A very small organisation running a telephone information and support service was struggling to provide flexibility to their staff, while keeping the phones open for their full hours of service. They found a solution through thinking creatively and sharing the load with a larger telephone service.
Managers can set a good example for staff by accessing family friendly policies themselves. Photo: Tara Moore
The service began negotiations to transfer their calls through to the larger service for one day per month. The 'Memorandum of Understanding' (MoU) includes providing training and service information to the larger organisation to ensure their 'sister service's' client group is looked after.
This one-day per month coverage offers flexibility that will allow staff to better manage their respective family responsibilities.