Tackling the Issues of Flexible Work Arrangements

Although some employees claim that flexible work arrangements (FWA) improve work-life balance, they are not without their own unique set of difficulties.

They claimed that a person's job scope and "adaptability" would have a significant impact on how well such an arrangement worked.

Long working hours and not suitable for every job

According to account manager Wong Pui Koon, flexible hours offered her more time to complete tasks. She said that although time flexibility enables people to customise their schedules to meet their demands, it also entails long working hours.

The 29-year-old resident of Petaling Jaya said that only some jobs provide work flexibility. She warned that one might need to work in the office if their position is in administration.

According to sales engineer Farzihan Nur Syaiqa, companies could implement flexible hours depending on the circumstance. The 30-year-old Klang resident said that if she had to go to the site to meet people, it is understandable that she must follow the required time set to prevent delaying work.

She added that employers may decide to conduct meetings remotely on days when there are only brief meetings. She stated that sometimes the trip to work takes longer than the meetings.

The problem in maintaining communication

Loganaayagi Letchumnan, a human resources officer, stated that she preferred working from home due to the job satisfaction it offered and the lesser danger of becoming ill, particularly with Covid-19.

She said that since she's not on the road as much, she could spend more time on herself and save on transportation expenses.

She acknowledged that there were difficulties with FWA, including the challenges in sustaining communication and fulfilling employers' needs. 

She explained that dealing with coworkers who work at different times can be challenging, so one must be well-prepared and organised. She added that some bosses also want to physically supervise their employees' work.

However, Lee Xiao Jin, a 28-year-old sales professional, believed that FWA would impede communication. Reaching out to coworkers, especially those in the corporate sector, may take longer.

According to her, one might need to contact other departments to collect information, but they would only reply after a few hours. She proposed implementing rules to ensure inquiries were addressed within a shorter timeframe to fix communication issues.

Improving FWA

Evangelin Beth Fernando, a 28-year-old professional in administration and human resources, said people who can manage their time at home without becoming distracted should be entitled to work from home.

According to her, those who work from home can save on commuting, such as on petrol and eating out. She added that employees could also benefit from a less stressful workday.

She recommended setting up a system to track task completion to facilitate a more efficient workflow should the FWA be implemented. She stated that it would guarantee that the workflow moves along smoothly and employees have their flexibility.

Government's announcement on FWA

Last Thursday, Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Awang Hashim stated that employees might apply for FWA under the Employment Act 1955 amendment, which takes effect on September 1.

He stated that applications must be in writing and may include working hours, days, and location changes. The employer has 60 days to respond in writing.

Source: The Star