Public servants trial flexi-work

Growing numbers of public servants are working from home as part of a massive public sector shake-up.

Fifteen of the country’s 32 public service departments are now offering flexible working arrangements for employees on a trial basis, with the policy intended to be rolled out sector-wide by the end of next year.

The flexible work pilot was announced by Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter in December, and is part of the Government’s Gender Pay Action Plan. It is hoped the scheme, which requires employers to treat all roles as flexible unless there is a good business reason not to, will reduce the pay gap between men and women by removing barriers to employment.

Flexible working arrangements can include reduced or changeable daily work hours, nine-day fortnights, a gradual return to work following parental leave, phased retirement, purchased annual leave, and working from home.

Seven government agencies were part of the initial trial, with that number more than doubling over the past 12 months.

Dr Paula O’Kane, from Otago University’s department of management, said the policy was something New Zealand needed to consider across all sectors.

‘‘Certainly our research would suggest that people are looking for more flexibility. From the future of work perspective, it is going to become a whole-of-society need.’’

Many skilled employees would probably need to work beyond the retirement age in the future

‘‘A proactive approach to flexible working ... can benefit everyone: employers, employees, their families, and communities.’’

Peter Hughes, State Services commissioner

because they could not afford to stop working, and they would not favour a traditional 40-hour week, O’Kane said. ‘‘Millennials, too, are crying out for flexible work.’’

Although the policy was established to remove barriers to employment, O’Kane said that should not be the focus of the initiative. ‘‘Flexible work is no longer about female parents. New Zealand needs to think carefully about how we work generally.’’

There are almost 50,000 fulltime employees across public service departments, according to a State Services Commission workforce report last year. The Privacy Commission said any of those people working from home presented a heightened risk of secure information being compromised. ‘‘... it can increase the likelihood of a privacy breach if adequate preventative measures are not in place,’’ a spokesperson said. ‘‘Organisations need to have suitable safeguards.’’ Many of those safeguards – such as encrypted data, two-step authentication on electronic devices, and up-to-date protection software – should already be standard practice, the spokesperson said.

The commission also provided guidelines for public servants on how to keep private information safe. However, each organisation was responsible for its own security safeguards.

State Services commissioner Peter Hughes said research showed flexible work helped retain skilled staff, reduce recruitment costs, and lower absenteeism. ‘‘A proactive approach to flexible working is being championed by progressive leaders in both the public and private sectors because it can benefit everyone: employers, employees, their families, and communities.’’

Not all roles would be suitable for the scheme, Hughes said.

There were no figures available on how many workers had taken up alternative working arrangements. The commission’s report stated the average salary of a public servant was $77,900, with the figure varying significantly among departments.

Women made up 61 per cent of employees but the gender pay gap remained at 12.2 per cent.

Genter said the Government was on track to roll out the policy sector-wide by the end of next year. ‘‘The public sector needs to be a responsible employer that supports working parents, just as many leading private firms are doing. Happy employees who are less stressed because they can balance family life are even more productive at work.’’

Public Service Association national secretary Kerry Davies said the initiative would help many people. ‘‘Too many of us must choose between jobs that pay well and advance our career, and jobs that allow flexible working arrangements. This disproportionately affects women, Ma¯ ori and Pacific workers.’’

‘‘The public sector needs to be a responsible employer.’’

Julie Anne Genter Minister for Women