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Is it possible to have a
senior role in an organisation and have a reduced hours contract? Or is
working well over 40 hours per week a vital ingredient of a top flight
career?
This is a question tackled by Flexi
Exec, a new report from New
Ways to Work. It brings together 18 case studies of senior managers
who work with a variety of reduced hours arrangements. And much of it is
to do with trying to achieve a better work-life balance.
The reasons people enter these
(as yet) non-standard working arrangements include caring
responsibilities, health problems and involvement in community activities.
Reduced hours advantages
Job sharing is a successful
work option in a number of the studies. Examples include a jobshare as
Chief Executive of a Health Authority, and job sharing managers of ASDA
stores. Maggie Piggot, who jobshares the post of Head of family Policy
Division at the Lord chancellor's Office comments:
"There is a tremendous
advantage in the fact that I can discuss work with someone else who is as
involved in the subject as I am, and who shares my interest in finding the
best solution"
Working a shorter week can
help senior people, as any others, to live a more balanced life. Will
Parker, a principal tax inspector and case director in the Large Business
Office at the Inland Revenue, needs to take time out from "rendering
unto Caesar" to get his other priorities right:
"I am an active Christian
and wanted more time for that, but also I wanted to spend more time with
my young family and my wife and not be constantly tired. I felt that
having time was more valuable to me than the pay for that day".
Will works a 30-hour 4-day
week to achieve this.
Getting it right
For jobs done on a part-time
basis the most important factors for success are
-
having the right workload for
reduced hours
-
gearing appraisal to the
amount of hours available
-
think of all tasks in the
context of a team - jobs mustn't be viewed in isolation
-
ensuring good communications
between colleagues and with customers.
The authors see evidence that
it's time for a change:
"Is it time for a re-appraisal of the way in which
work tasks and responsibilities are allocated ? A new approach could
maximise the benefits of a diverse workforce and open up exciting
opportunities for training, personal development and team working.
"By looking at tasks to be performed rather than
rigid job titles there could be more scope for innovation and
flexibility."
Flexi Exec, by Pam
Walton and Lucy Gaskell, is available from Jonathan Swan at New
Ways to Work, 22 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5AP.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7930 0093
Fax: +44 (0)20 7930 3366
Email: info@new-ways.co.uk
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