Flexibility Diagnostic Tools

Tool
Guide
Workplace Flexibility
For employers
For HR/diversity practitioners

Overview

Prior to developing your flexibility strategy it is important to conduct a readiness assessment to understand where you are now, determine your flexibility vision and identify key priorities. 

This toolkit provides the framework and practical guide to conducting a systematic diagnosis of ‘where are we now’.

Using the flexibility roadmap

The flexibility roadmap has been developed to help organisations think about the flexibility journey and their overall position. Does the organisation view flexibility as a compliance or programmatic issue, in the sense that flexible working arrangements are offered in a limited way, or does the organisation view flexibility in a more holistic way, where flexibility is part of the organisation’s strategy and factored into the way work is done? Or does the organisation lie somewhere in between?

Image depicts the stages on the flexibility roadmap

The flexibility roadmap has been simplified into three distinct stages: ‘limited’, ‘basic’ and ‘embedded’, which are aligned to the six broad phases outlined in the gender strategy toolkit. You can use your assessment against the capability framework to plot your position on the roadmap and determine where you want to go. Each phase is outlined below.

No. Stage Description
1 Limited
  • This is consistent with the ‘avoidance’ or ‘compliance approach’ on the gender equality roadmap.
  • No recognition of how effective flexible work and family-friendly policies / practices can promote gender equality and diversity.
  • Flexible work and family-friendly policies / practices only exist to the extent they are required by legislation or regulation.
2 Basic
  • This is consistent with the ‘programmatic’ approach on the gender equality roadmap.
  • Flexible work and family-friendly policies / practices are provided to meet the needs of specific groups or individuals.
  • Typically flexibility is seen as a human resource function only.
3 Embedded
  • This is consistent with the ‘strategic’, ‘integrated’ and ‘sustainable’ approach on the gender equality roadmap.
  • Enabling progression as flexibility becomes strategic in the mindset, systems and culture.
  • Flexible work and family-friendly policies / practices are designed and accessible to benefit all employees; the flexibility business case is established.
  • Flexible work and family-friendly policies / practices are leveraged as a business enabler; no value judgements are made about flexibility needs.
  • Flexible, family-friendly working is expected, normalised and equitably accessible; it is integral to all business and people practices (e.g. workforce planning).
  • The flexibility strategy is aligned to the business strategy and the organisation is moving towards the workplace of the future.

For more information on supporting your organisation to diagnose it's progress on flexibility, please access the tools below.

Download the tools:

Flexibility readiness assessment (PDF, 1.35 MB)

Prior to developing your workplace flexibility strategy, it is recommended that you undertake a readiness assessment. This toolkit provides the framework and practical guide to conducting a systematic diagnosis of ‘where are we now’.