Editorial | The impact of flexi work

It took 20 years to lay the groundwork and consult with stakeholders before the flexi workweek bill was finally tabled in Parliament. Known as the Employment (Flexible Work Arrangements) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2014, the bill sought to amend provisions in various statutes relating to hours and days of work to facilitate flexible working arrangements in Jamaica.

Under the provisions of the bill, employers and employees would agree to a 40-hour workweek, with overtime kicking in thereafter. It was argued that the new law would lead to an increase in employment opportunities, enhancement of production, while offering workers the opportunity to structure their working arrangements to balance their professional and domestic lives.

It was further proposed that the flexi arrangements would increase the maximum number of hours in a workday from eight or 10 hours, and, instead, be capped at 12 hours.

Support for these variable working arrangements came from the trade unions, the private sector, and other stakeholders. Despite the strenuous objections of the Church, which wanted to preserve the traditional days of Christian worship, the bill was passed into law in September 2014.

It has been four years since the law was passed, and there is every indication that the flexi work culture has not taken root in the Jamaican workplace. A few months ago, a major private-sector firm was heard appealing to its workers to opt for flexible working arrangements in light of daily traffic snarls caused by road construction all over the nation's capital.

Management consultant Dr Leahcim Semaj is pointing fingers at the trade unions for not robustly touting the benefits of flexible working arrangements to its members and encouraging their participation.

But there are some groups, like medical doctors, who are opposed to flexi working hours. They feel their views were not properly considered when the bill was being drafted, and they have stridently rejected these arrangements. This suggests that there may be possible defects in the law that may require remedying.

Lead by example

Leading by example is a great way to get results. So is the Government itself on board with this flexi workweek idea? Those who work in the emergency services have been participating in a flexible work arrangement for years. Generally, though, government offices are tightly shuttered on weekends, for example. One exception is tax season, when the tax offices may open their doors on Saturday.

More than any other sector of the economy, the public sector has been constantly pilloried for declining productivity. Here now is an opportunity for the Government to demonstrate that with flexible working schedules.

It, too, can achieve successful levels of productivity, which has long been envied in private-sector companies.

Meeting the stated objectives of competitiveness, efficiency, and increased productivity will not occur simply by passing a law. The work includes changing mindsets and getting employees to buy into the idea. Now is the time for the Government to survey the companies that have significant participation in the flexi work arrangements and evaluate their productivity, job satisfaction levels, and the impact on production.

Many companies in the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Italy, and South Korea are reaping rich rewards from flexible working schedules, and there is every indication that we could do so, too.