A new "flexibility" normal? The case for work redesign

• Graeme Russell, Juliet Bourke
• Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

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Image: davepatten / flickr

13 May 2011Something unexpected happened in Australia during the 2008/2009 Global Economic Downturn (GED) which has implications for the Australian workplace of the future. This “something” was the use of “flexible work practices”, namely the increased use of part-time work, a reduction in hours worked by full-timers, the use of purchased leave, and video-conferencing as an alternative to travel, all to manage the downturn in the volume of work and revenue.

This essay considers the evidence for new way of working arising from the GED and the features of work redesign which would hardwire those changes into the workplace. Further this essay considers whether and how this new “flexibility normal” might contribute to creating a workplace which fosters genuine equality and flexibility for both women and men. The “evidence” includes interviews with fifteen decision-makers in a diverse range of industries (including manufacturing, professional services, retail and IT)1, a small survey2 and a literature review. By way of comparison and contrast this essay also includes research and opinions from country experts in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Europe. In essence, data from France, Germany and the Netherlands suggests that Australia’s experience of workplace flexibility during the GED is part of a more global shift amongst selected countries.

Image: davepatten / flickr