Proposing to work flexibly is one thing.
Managing it successfully is another. Expert training is
invaluable to help managers and their organisations to move up
the learning curve and to build on the experience of others.
Training comes in a variety of forms - attending seminars
and courses, or calling in consultants and trainers to carry out
training programmes. Now 3 organisations - Swiftwork, Work
& Family Connections and Gil Gordon Associates - have put their
heads together to produce e-learning materials.
Managing Flexibility is an introduction to flexibility
for managers and supervisors, showing them how to implement
flexible work and how to support their staff as they move to new
ways of working.
It is divided into four sections, and includes an
"action-oriented self-assessment" that will enable managers to
track and assess performance, as well as continually assess the
value of the training.
It makes the business case for flexibility, identifies and
sharpens the skills that will be needed, and offers practice in
choosing and managing employees on flexible work arrangements.
This course will help managers to:
- develop a clear picture of the kind of manager your
organisation wants them to be
- make the distinction between this kind of manager and the
kind that might be described as "old school"
- understand the behaviours that distinguish this kind of
manager
- understand the reasons why this new kind of manager is
important to your organisation's survival
- clarify any changes that might be called for in their own
management style
- examine ways some of these actions may be challenging
- learn about the flexible work arrangements, and how they
can best be managed
- practice behaviours that might be new to them.
Starting from basic principles, the modules add levels of
sophistication and provide useful tools such as equipment
checklists for remote working and proposal forms for flexible
working arrangements.
The courses can be customised for different organisations.
Employees too
It is not only managers who may need to change their
behaviours. For employees too there will be a significant
change of both culture and working practices. A further
course for employees helps them to:
- examine their own qualifications for working flexibly
- prepare their flexible working proposal
- become familiar with the flexible work options
- learn when each option might be more appropriate
- discover the challenges presented by each
- learn how to overcome them.
Other courses are available more specifically tailored to
managing teleworking.
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