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Flexible Work Arrangements: Tips for Employees

  • Take initiative to be present at key meetings.

  • Be flexible; supervisors/colleagues won't always be able to work around your schedule. If you are on a flexplace or compressed work week schedule, you may have to come in on some days that you ordinarily work from home or take as a day "off". These occurrences should be expected especially in the event of crucial meetings or peak times. You should discuss these with your supervisor in advance, so that you can make alternative arrangements for child care/transportation.

  • Establish "office hours" approved by your supervisor, and clearly communicate them so that others in the office can contact you during those hours. Make sure anyone who might need you knows exactly when they can get you, what to do if they feel it's urgent, and how long it will be before you return their voicemail or email message.

  • Reschedule your day/time off or away from your worksite, if necessary, so you do not miss office social events. Business often gets accomplished during informal settings, whether planned or not.

  • Request weekly feedback from your supervisor for at least the first few weeks on how the flexible work arrangement is working.

  • Modify your AUDIX voicemail greeting to provide callers with information on how they may reach you, who to contact in an emergency, and when they may anticipate your returned call.

In addition, employees who are in a job share arrangement should:

  • Make a plan for communication with your job share colleague and supervisor, which may include in-person regularly scheduled meetings, weekly email updates, etc.

  • In the event that the job share employees are responsible for different aspects of the position, make sure those aspects are communicated to colleagues so they know whom to contact with questions or concerns.

Employees who are in a flexplace arrangement should:

  • Contact key co-workers at least once a week. If you don’t have any pressing business issues, ask if there’s anything new, compare notes, and find out if there’s anything you can do to help.

(Adapted from the WFC Resources Newsbrief, July 2008)