A Guide to Promoting Flexibility in the Workplace (Australia)

The Australian workplace is undergoing a seismic shift. Forget everything you thought you knew about the rigid 9-to-5 office grind – employees are no longer just requesting flexibility; they're demanding it. 

63% of Australian employees say hybrid work boosts their productivity, whilst research published in Nature (2024) demonstrates that hybrid arrangements reduce employee attrition by 33% overall. Employees are choosing to stay with organisations that trust them enough to work flexibly.

Yet the conversation around flexible working arrangements in Australia remains fractured. Some employers champion hybrid models, citing innovation and engagement. Others mandate return-to-office policies, concerned about collaboration and culture. 

But this binary debate misses the point entirely. The question isn't whether flexibility works – the evidence overwhelmingly confirms it does – but rather how you design, implement, and sustain it in a way that genuinely benefits both your people and your business.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about flexible working in Australia. The practical playbook Australian HR managers have been waiting for. ⬇️

Why Flexible Working Arrangements Matter for Australian Employers

Flexibility isn't a perk you bolt onto your employee value proposition to seem progressive, it's a strategic imperative that directly impacts your bottom line.

The retention and attraction equation

Around 30% of Australian employees had agreements to work flexible hours as of August 2024, whilst 87% of private sector employers had formal flexible working strategies in 2023-24, according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). 

The organisations implementing these arrangements are seeing tangible benefits. 56% of Australian workers would consider quitting if asked to increase their office presence, and 55% consider the ability to work from home non-negotiable.

The message is unambiguous: flexibility has moved to deal-breaker territory. When competing for talent, particularly in sectors facing skills shortages, your flexible work policy can be the deciding factor between securing exceptional candidates and watching them accept offers elsewhere.

Productivity: debunking the myths

One of the most persistent concerns about flexible working arrangements Australia-wide is the fear of productivity loss. The evidence doesn't support this anxiety. A September 2024 survey conducted by the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies found that 54% of Australian workers believe their productivity has increased with flexible work, with another 35% reporting no change – meaning 90% don't believe flexibility has reduced their productivity.

According to research from the Australian HR Institute, 72% of employers say hybrid working has increased productivity or had no effect, with only 10% believing it has had a negative impact. 

When we dig into why, the answers become clear: fewer office distractions, reduced commute stress, and the ability to work during personal peak performance hours all contribute to better outcomes.

Research conducted in the UK found on average a 12% improvement in productivity among public servants working flexibly, driven primarily by reduced distractions and the ability to sustain focus. Meanwhile, Stanford researchers have made clear that the winning work pattern is the hybrid work model with no productivity loss.

The Diversity and Inclusion dimension

The WGEA reports that full-time roles incorporating flexible work arrangements like remote and hybrid options rose by 2.3 percentage points to 42.5% between 2020-21 and 2022-23. 

This matters profoundly for gender equity. Currently, only 17% of primary carer's parental leave is taken by men in Australia, and parenthood affects women's career progression and pay more than men's – a major driver of Australia's gender pay gap.

Flexible working arrangements for carers and parents in Australia create genuine pathways for women (who remain twice as likely to work part-time) to maintain career momentum. Research from WGEA finds that employers who conduct gender pay gap analysis, set targets, and implement formal flexible work strategies have higher rates of women managers working part-time.

But the benefits extend beyond gender. People with disabilities, those managing chronic health conditions, employees caring for ageing parents, and workers in regional areas all gain access to opportunities that rigid office-based roles would exclude them from.

The financial case

Reduced turnover translates directly to cost savings. Recruiting, onboarding, and training a replacement typically costs between 50-200% of an annual salary depending on the role. Research demonstrates that hybrid working improves retention without damaging performance, with particularly strong effects for non-managers, women, and those with longer commutes.

Beyond retention, there's the real estate equation. As more organisations adopt hybrid models, they're rethinking office space requirements. Data from XY Sense shows that median corporate workplace occupancy sits at 36% in Q2 2024, creating opportunities for businesses to reduce expensive city-centre leases and redirect those funds to technology infrastructure, training, or other strategic investments.

What Australian Law Says About Flexible Work Requests

Before you draft a single policy or respond to your first Fair Work flexible work request, you need to understand the legal framework. The Fair Work Act 2009 sets out specific entitlements and obligations that apply to flexible working arrangements Australia-wide.

Who can request flexible work under the Fair Work Act?

Permanent employees who have worked with their employer for at least 12 months can request flexible working arrangements under the Fair Work Act, as can regular casual employees who have worked regularly and systematically for at least 12 months with a reasonable expectation of continuing employment.

But there's a crucial qualifier: the request must be made because the employee meets one of the specified circumstances. These circumstances include:

✅ Being a parent or having responsibility for the care of a child who is of school age or younger

✅ Being a carer (within the meaning of the Carer Recognition Act 2010)

✅ Having a disability

✅ Being 55 years or older

✅ Being pregnant

✅ Experiencing family and domestic violence

✅ Providing care or support to an immediate family member or household member experiencing family and domestic violence

Can casual employees request flexible work in Australia?

Yes, but with conditions. Casual employees must have been employed on a regular and systematic basis for a sequence of periods during at least 12 months and have a reasonable expectation of continuing employment on that basis. This protects long-term casual workers who've effectively become part of your permanent workforce even without a permanent contract.

The 21-day response requirement

Time is of the essence. Employers must respond to requests for flexible working arrangements within 21 days in writing, indicating whether they're approving or refusing the request, or setting out agreed alternative arrangements. This is a legal obligation under the Fair Work Act.

What are reasonable business grounds for refusal?

You can't refuse a Fair Work flexible work request simply because you prefer everyone in the office. Employers can only refuse if they have reasonable business grounds, which the Fair Work Act specifies include:

• Insufficient capacity to change working arrangements of other employees
• Impracticality of changing arrangements or recruiting new employees to accommodate the request
• Likelihood that the requested arrangement would result in significant loss in efficiency or productivity
• Significant negative impact on customer service

Recent Fair Work Commission decisions in cases such as Kent Aoyama v FLSA Holdings Pty Ltd [2025] FWC 524 and Anthony May v Paper Australia Pty Ltd [2025] FWC 799 make clear that employers must provide substantial evidence of complaints or productivity issues directly linked to remote work, and that one-size-fits-all approaches or fear of setting precedents are not valid refusal grounds. Each request must be assessed individually.

The consultation process

Here's where many employers stumble. Before refusing a request, employers must discuss the matter with the employee and genuinely attempt to reach agreement on changes that could accommodate their circumstances. The Fair Work Commission can and will scrutinise whether you've engaged in good faith.

As set out in sections 65A and 65B of the Fair Work Act, employers must have real regard to the consequences for the employee if they refuse the request. The nature and size of the employer's enterprise will be relevant considerations in determining what constitutes a reasonable business ground for the particular employer.

Fair Work Commission powers

Since June 2023, following amendments made by the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act 2022, the Fair Work Commission has had power to conciliate and arbitrate disputes about flexible work requests. The FWC can make orders requiring employers to provide written responses, determine whether "reasonable business grounds" are in fact reasonable, and even make orders requiring the employer to grant the request.

Recent orders demonstrate the FWC's willingness to override employer commercial considerations and mandate implementation of requested arrangements when employers fail to provide substantial evidence for refusal.

Types of Flexible Work Arrangements (With Examples, Pros and Cons)

Flexible working arrangements Australia encompasses far more than working from home. Let's explore the spectrum of options available to HR managers designing a flexible work policy Australia-compliant and fit for purpose ⬇️

Hybrid work policy Australia models

Hybrid work combines office-based and remote work, typically on a structured schedule. Research from the Australian HR Institute shows that most organisations now call for employees to return to the physical workspace for at least three days per week, with data from 2024 revealing this has become the new norm.

Example structure

Core collaboration days (e.g., Tuesday-Thursday in office for team meetings, workshops, and relationship-building) with Monday and Friday as flexible remote days.

Pros:

✅ Balances face-to-face collaboration with focused remote work time

✅ Provides structure whilst maintaining flexibility

✅ Addresses some employer concerns about culture and connection

✅ Research shows 63% of Australian employees cite hybrid work as boosting productivity

Cons:

❌Requires careful coordination to ensure teams overlap on office days

❌Can create "peak days" with overcrowding

❌May disadvantage those with caring responsibilities on mandated office days

Remote work policy Australia

Full remote work means employees work from home or another location full-time, attending the office rarely or never.

Example structure: Fully remote role with quarterly team offsites for strategic planning and relationship-building.

Pros:

✅ Expands talent pool geographically – you can hire the best person regardless of location

✅ Significant cost savings on office space and facilities

✅ Eliminates commute time entirely, improving work-life integration

✅ Studies show remote workers can be up to 40% more productive than office workers

Cons:

❌Requires robust technology infrastructure and cybersecurity

❌Can create isolation and disconnect from company culture

❌Makes spontaneous collaboration and mentoring more challenging

❌Fully remote employees report higher levels of loneliness (25%) compared to on-site (16%)

Flexible working hours Australia

Flexitime allows employees to vary their start and finish times whilst maintaining core hours when everyone is available.

Example structure: Core hours 10am-3pm when all team members must be available, with flexibility to start between 7-10am and finish between 3-6pm to accommodate an 8-hour day.

Pros:

✅ Accommodates school drop-offs, medical appointments, and personal commitments

✅ Allows employees to work during their peak productivity hours

✅ Maintains team availability during core business hours

✅ Simple to implement and manage

Cons:

❌ Requires clear communication about availability

❌ Can complicate scheduling meetings across teams

❌ May not suit client-facing roles with specific service hours

Compressed workweek Australia

Employees work full-time hours in fewer days, typically four longer days instead of five standard days.

Example structure: Four 9.5-hour days (Monday-Thursday) with Friday off, or alternating Mondays and Fridays on a fortnight rotation.

Pros:

✅ Provides employees with a full additional day off per week or fortnight

✅ Can improve work-life balance without reducing hours

✅ Reduces commute days and associated costs

✅ Research from 2023 shows 30% of Australian professionals believe the four-day workweek will soon become standard practice

Cons:

❌ Longer workdays may cause fatigue and reduce end-of-day productivity

❌ Doesn't suit all roles or industries (e.g., customer service with daily coverage needs)

❌ Can complicate rostering and handovers

Job share policy Australia

Two employees share one full-time position, each working part-time but combining to fulfil the role's requirements.

Example structure: Two senior managers each work three days per week with one overlapping day for handover, effectively covering the role five days weekly.

Pros:

✅ Retains skilled employees who need reduced hours due to caring responsibilities

✅ Brings diverse perspectives and skills to a single role

✅ Provides business continuity when one partner is absent

Cons:

❌ Requires exceptional communication and coordination between partners

❌ Some tasks and decision-making can become fragmented

❌ Not all roles are suitable for job sharing (e.g., CEO positions)

Part-time work

Permanent part-time employees work fewer than 38 hours per week with pro-rata pay and entitlements.

Example structure: Three-day working week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) at 60% FTE with pro-rata salary and leave entitlements.

Pros:

✅ Allows employees to balance work with caring responsibilities, study, or other commitments

✅ Retains valuable employees who might otherwise leave

✅ Can provide operational coverage across extended hours

Cons:

❌ WGEA research shows women and men working part-time still face promotion barriers

❌ Can create handover challenges and communication gaps

❌ May limit career progression if leadership roles aren't designed to be done part-time

Purchased leave

Employees "purchase" additional annual leave by spreading their salary across more weeks, effectively taking a salary reduction for extra time off.

Example structure: Employee purchases four additional weeks of leave, with their annual salary divided across 56 weeks instead of 52, paid fortnightly at the adjusted rate.

Pros:

✅ Provides additional leave without impacting operational coverage

✅ Allows employees extended breaks for travel or personal projects

✅ No direct cost to employer

Cons:

❌ Reduces employee take-home pay, which may not be affordable for all

❌ Requires payroll system capability to administer

❌ Can complicate superannuation and other entitlement calculations

Step-by-Step: How to Design and Implement a Flexible Work Policy in Australia

Right, let's get practical. How do you actually implement a flexible working policy in Australia that's compliant, effective, and genuinely workable? Here's your roadmap for how to implement a flexible working policy in Australia.

Step 1: Conduct a flexibility audit

Before drafting anything, understand your current state. Survey employees anonymously about:

• Which types of flexible arrangements would benefit them most
• Current informal flexibility they're accessing (or wish they could access)
• Barriers they perceive to requesting flexibility
• Whether they'd access flexibility if it wouldn't impact career progression

Simultaneously, analyse roles across your organisation:

• Which roles genuinely require on-site presence, which days, and why?
• Which roles can be performed fully remotely without operational impact?
• Which tasks within each role require collaboration versus deep focus work?
• What outcomes define success in each role (not just presence)?

Step 2: Build your business case

Arm yourself with data before approaching executives. Calculate:

• Current turnover costs (recruitment, onboarding, productivity loss)
• Competitor offerings (are you losing candidates because you lack flexibility?)
• Office space utilisation rates and potential real estate savings
• Productivity metrics before and after flexibility pilots (if you've run any)

Remember: 87% of Australian private sector employers with 100+ employees have flexible working strategies, so you're behind the curve if you don't.

Step 3: Define your flexibility principles

Create clear principles that guide all decisions. For example:

➡️ "All Roles Flex" philosophy: Start from the assumption that every role can be done flexibly unless there's a genuine operational reason it can't. This flips the burden of proof – managers must justify why not rather than employees justifying why. Research from the University of Sydney Business School found that organisations with "All Roles Flex" policies saw widespread benefits for both employers and employees.

➡️ Equity over equality: Different roles and teams will have different flexibility options. That's okay. Equity means everyone gets access to meaningful flexibility appropriate to their role, not that everyone gets identical arrangements.

➡️ Outcome-focused: Performance should be measured by results delivered, not hours logged or seats warmed. Define clear KPIs for each role (more on this shortly).

➡️ Default to yes: When an eligible employee makes a Fair Work flexible work request, the default response is approval unless there are genuine reasonable business grounds for refusal.

Step 4: Draft your flexible work policy Australia template

Your policy needs several key components:

1. Scope and eligibility State clearly who can access flexibility (all employees vs. those with Fair Work entitlements) and which types of arrangements are available.
2. Types of flexibility available Detail each arrangement type with examples of flexible work policies Australia and any role-specific limitations.
3. Request process Provide step-by-step instructions for employees requesting flexibility, including templates (see later section).
4. Assessment criteria Outline how managers will assess requests, what factors they'll consider, and what constitutes reasonable business grounds for refusal under Fair Work provisions.
5. Trial periods Consider building in 3-6 month trial periods for new arrangements with clear check-in points and adjustment provisions.
6. Technology and equipment Specify what equipment the business provides for remote work (laptop, monitor, chair, etc.) and any cybersecurity requirements.
7. Communication expectations Define core availability hours, response time expectations, and how remote workers should indicate their availability.
8. Health and safety Address work-from-home safety requirements, including workstation setup and reporting injuries.
9. Review and adjustment Build in regular review periods (e.g., annually) and processes for requesting changes to arrangements.

Step 5: Train your managers

This is where policies succeed or fail. 

Managers need training on:

• Understanding the legal requirements under the Fair Work Act and their obligations
• How to have constructive conversations about flexibility requests
• Managing performance based on outcomes rather than visibility
• Running effective hybrid team meetings where remote and office workers have equal voice
• Recognising and mitigating proximity bias (favouring office-based workers)
• Using the assessment framework consistently and fairly

Consider workshops where managers roleplay difficult scenarios: the high-performer who wants full remote but whose role genuinely requires on-site presence three days weekly, or the underperformer requesting flexibility who'll use it as an excuse to avoid accountability.

Step 6: Technology infrastructure

Research shows that 72% of employees say their company needs to invest in new technologies to support remote work effectively. At minimum, you need:

• Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Teams, Slack, or similar for instant messaging and quick questions
• Video Conferencing: Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet with adequate licences for everyone
• Project Management: Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or similar to track work visibly
• Cloud Storage: OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox for secure file access anywhere
• HR Information Systems: Employment Hero or similar for leave requests, policy access, and document storage
• Cybersecurity: VPNs, multi-factor authentication, endpoint security for remote devices

According to research, Australian organisations that have adopted AI in their workplace are 48% more likely to report higher productivity levels, suggesting technology investment pays dividends.

Step 7: Pilot programme

Don't roll out flexibility organisation-wide immediately. Run a pilot with 1-3 teams for 12 weeks, ideally including:

• One team whose work you expect to adapt easily (e.g., knowledge workers)
• One team with operational challenges (e.g., customer-facing roles requiring coverage)
• One leadership team to model the behaviour you want to see

During the pilot:

• Gather weekly feedback from participants and their managers
• Track productivity metrics (KPIs, project completion rates, customer satisfaction)
• Monitor engagement scores and team dynamics
• Document what's working and what needs adjustment

Step 8: Iterate and scale

Use pilot findings to refine your policy before organisation-wide launch. Common adjustments include:

• Adding more guidance on coordination between hybrid team members
• Clarifying equipment provision and reimbursement policies
• Adjusting core collaboration hours based on feedback
• Creating role-specific flexibility guidelines for teams with unique needs

Step 9: Communication campaign

Launch your policy with an integrated campaign:

• All-hands meeting explaining the why, what, and how
• Manager toolkits with FAQs and response templates
• Policy document available on your intranet with video explainer
• Regular "Flex Stories" spotlighting employees using different arrangements successfully
• Open Q&A sessions for employees to ask questions

Step 10: Monitor, measure, and adapt

Flexibility isn't "set and forget." Establish:

• Quarterly review of policy uptake and distribution across demographics
• Regular pulse surveys on work-life balance and flexibility satisfaction
• Six-monthly deep dives into productivity metrics, turnover, and recruitment success
• Annual policy review to incorporate legislative changes and learnings

How to Manage Performance, Culture and Inclusion in Hybrid Teams

You've implemented flexibility. Now comes the real work: making sure it actually functions without creating second-class citizens or productivity black holes. Here's how to manage hybrid teams in Australia effectively. ⬇️

How to measure productivity in flexible work arrangements

Forget tracking hours. Seriously. Only 5% of Australian employees stated that location or timing doesn't impact their productivity – meaning most acknowledge context matters but reject presenteeism as a proxy for performance.

Define clear outcomes and KPIs

Every role needs specific, measurable outcomes. Examples:

Marketing manager:

🎯 Website traffic increase by 20% over six months

🎯 Three lead-generating campaigns launched quarterly

🎯 Email open rates above 25% and click-through rates above 4%

🎯 Content calendar maintained two months ahead

Customer service representative:

🎯 Average response time under 2 hours for email queries

🎯 Customer satisfaction score above 4.2/5

🎯 First-contact resolution rate above 75%

🎯 Handle 25-30 customer interactions daily

Software developer:

🎯 Sprint commitment met 90%+ of sprints

🎯 Code review turnaround within 24 hours

🎯 Zero critical bugs in production from their code

🎯 Technical documentation kept current

These outcome-based metrics allow you to measure productivity in flexible work arrangements without resorting to surveillance.

Use project management tools, not surveillance

Time-tracking and employee productivity monitoring software (so-called "tattleware") often makes employees resentful rather than productive. Research shows that great employee performance is not locked to the amount of time spent working – extremely efficient workers might spend the shortest time on a task. Instead, use:

• Asana/Monday.com/Jira: Track task completion, project progress, and blockers transparently
• OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): Set quarterly objectives with measurable key results popularised by John Doerr's book "Measure What Matters"
• Weekly check-ins: 15-30 minute conversations about progress, challenges, and support needed
• Quality metrics: Assess work quality, not just quantity (e.g., customer feedback, error rates, stakeholder satisfaction)

Regular feedback loops

Replace annual reviews with continuous feedback:

• Weekly 1-on-1s with direct reports (even if just 15 minutes)
• Monthly reflection on goals and KPIs with adjustment if needed
• Quarterly development conversations separate from performance discussions
• 360-degree feedback twice yearly including remote and office-based colleagues

Maintaining culture and connection

Intentional social connection

Don't rely on serendipitous watercooler chats. Create structured opportunities:

• Virtual coffee roulette pairing random colleagues fortnightly for 30-minute chats
• Team lunches with remote colleagues joining via video
• Monthly team social events (mix of in-person and fully virtual so everyone can participate)
• Interest-based communities (e.g., book club, running group) with hybrid participation options

Onboarding remote employees

Research from Swinburne University highlights maintaining knowledge transfer and mentorship as significant challenges in hybrid environments. For new starters:

1. Week 1: On-site if possible for equipment setup, meeting key stakeholders face-to-face, and spatial orientation
2. Buddy system: Pair with an experienced team member for daily check-ins during first month
3. Structured learning: Don't expect osmosis, create explicit learning plans with shadowing opportunities, recorded training materials, and documentation
4. Regular check-ins: Weekly touchpoints with their manager during first 90 days, then fortnightly
5. Clear ramp-up expectations: Define realistic 30-60-90 day milestones so they know whether they're on track

Inclusion considerations

Flexibility for all, not just parents

Men face barriers to taking up flexible working arrangements due to the "ideal worker" norm of being dedicated without outside distractions. Research from WGEA shows that a significant barrier to men using flexible work is workplace culture. Combat this:

• Use inclusive language in policies – "parents," "carers," "everyone"
• Share stories of diverse employees using flexibility (men, childless employees, people with hobbies)
• Make leadership roles accessible part-time to signal flexibility isn't career-limiting
• Challenge gender stereotypes with words like "men" and "fathers" in communications

WGEA research finds that only 17% of primary carer's parental leave is taken by men in Australia, despite many men reporting they would like to take more leave. Creating flexible work environments that welcome men helps address this imbalance. 🙌

Accessibility

Ensure flexible arrangements enable rather than exclude people with disabilities:

• Provide ergonomic equipment for home offices
• Offer flexibility around medical appointments without requiring detailed disclosure
• Use accessible communication tools (captions on video calls, screen-reader compatible documents)
• Consider that for many people with disabilities, flexible arrangements make employment possible

FAQ: Flexible Working Arrangements

What are flexible working arrangements in Australia?

Flexible working arrangements are agreements between employers and employees to vary standard working conditions to better accommodate personal circumstances whilst maintaining business effectiveness, as defined by the Fair Work Ombudsman. This can include changes to hours, patterns, and location of work. Common flexible working arrangements Australia include hybrid work (mix of office and remote), remote work, flexible hours, compressed workweeks, part-time work, and job sharing.

Who can request flexible work under the Fair Work Act?

Permanent employees with at least 12 months' continuous service and casual employees who've worked regularly and systematically for 12 months with reasonable expectation of continuing employment can make requests under section 65 of the Fair Work Act. However, the request must relate to specific circumstances: being a parent or carer of a school-aged child, having a disability, being 55 or older, being pregnant, or experiencing or supporting someone experiencing family violence.

How should managers respond to a flexible work request?

Managers must respond in writing within 21 days, indicating approval, refusal, or agreed alternative arrangements. Before refusing, managers must meet with the employee to genuinely discuss the request and explore alternatives as required by the Fair Work Act. Any refusal must be based on reasonable business grounds with specific evidence, not general concerns or assumptions. Research from the Fair Work Commission shows that undocumented concerns hold little weight before the Commission.

What are examples of flexible work arrangements?

Examples of flexible work policies Australia include:

• Hybrid work: Three days in office, two days remote
• Remote work: Full-time work from home or another location
• Flexitime: Start anywhere between 7-10am, finish 3-6pm, with 10am-3pm core hours
• Compressed week: Four 9.5-hour days instead of five 8-hour days
• Part-time: Working three days weekly at 60% salary with pro-rata entitlements
• Job share: Two senior managers each work 0.6 FTE, overlapping one day for handover

The Bottom Line

The future of work in Australia is being written now, by HR leaders like you. The organisations winning aren't clinging to the past or abandoning structure. They're designing flexible arrangements that genuinely serve both people and performance.

Since June 2023, the Fair Work Commission will mandate flexibility when employers lack reasonable business grounds for refusal. Compliance isn't optional, but it's not the endgame either.

The real prize? When 56% of workers would quit over reduced flexibility, thoughtfully designed policies unlock retention, productivity, and cost savings rigid models can't match. The research confirms: hybrid work enhances productivity, and organisations succeeding invest in manager capability and outcome-based metrics.

🚀 Looking for more practical tools to support your HR strategy? Explore the SubscribeHR blog – packed with Fair Work-compliant policy templates, implementation guides, and expert frameworks designed specifically for Australian HR managers.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write a flexible work policy?

Start by defining your flexibility principles (e.g., "All Roles Flex" presumption). Detail the types of arrangements available, eligibility criteria (including Fair Work Act entitlements), and the request process. Include assessment criteria, reasonable business grounds for refusal, trial period provisions, technology and equipment support, communication expectations, and work health and safety requirements. Build in review mechanisms and dispute resolution processes, including reference to Fair Work Commission conciliation and arbitration. Most importantly, train managers to implement the policy consistently and fairly.

Can an employer refuse a flexible work request in Australia?

Yes, but only on reasonable business grounds under the Fair Work Act. These include insufficient capacity to reorganise work among existing staff, impracticality of changes or recruitment, or likelihood of significant loss in efficiency, productivity, or customer service. Employers must provide substantial evidence—vague concerns, one-size-fits-all approaches, or fear of precedent are not valid grounds. Before refusing, employers must meet with the employee and genuinely attempt to find alternative arrangements. Recent Fair Work Commission cases emphasise that each request must be assessed individually.

What happens if an employee and employer can't agree on flexible work?

Since June 2023, following amendments made by the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act 2022, either party can refer the dispute to the Fair Work Commission for conciliation or arbitration. The FWC can make orders requiring employers to provide written responses, determine whether business grounds are reasonable, and even order implementation of requested arrangements. Recent cases like Kent Aoyama v FLSA Holdings Pty Ltd [2025] FWC 524 show the Commission takes these disputes seriously and will carefully scrutinise employer reasoning.

How do you measure productivity in flexible work arrangements?

Focus on outcomes and results, not hours or visibility. Define clear KPIs for each role (e.g., project completion rates, quality metrics, customer satisfaction scores, revenue targets). Use project management tools (Asana, Monday.com, Jira) to track task completion transparently. Implement regular check-ins (weekly 1-on-1s) for feedback and support. Avoid surveillance software or time-tracking tools, which research shows create resentment without improving performance. Instead, measure what actually matters: whether work gets done, meets quality standards, and contributes to business objectives. Research shows that 90% of Australian workers don't believe flexibility has reduced their productivity.

Are flexible working arrangements mandatory in Australia?

No, but certain eligible employees have a legal right to request flexible work under the Fair Work Act. Employers must respond to these requests properly and can only refuse on reasonable business grounds. However, 87% of Australian private sector employers with 100+ employees now have flexible working strategies according to WGEA, making it increasingly standard practice even where not legally required. Furthermore, 56% of Australian workers would consider quitting if asked to increase office presence, making flexibility a competitive necessity.

Do flexible work arrangements affect career progression?

They shouldn't, but proximity bias is real. Combat this by measuring performance against clear outcomes regardless of location, ensuring remote workers have equal access to high-visibility projects, creating formal recognition channels, explicitly auditing promotion decisions for bias, and making leadership roles accessible part-time. WGEA research shows that employers who implement formal flexible work strategies with targets and regular analysis have higher rates of women in management working part-time, suggesting well-designed policies can support rather than hinder career progression. However, WGEA also reports that women and men working part-time still face promotion barriers due to lack of flexible working arrangements and capacity to work part-time as managers.

What technology do employers need to provide for remote work?

At minimum: laptop with necessary software, mobile phone (if required for the role), and secure VPN access. Many employers also provide a contribution towards home office setup (typically $500-1,000) for items like monitor, chair, keyboard, and mouse. You should also ensure robust cybersecurity (multi-factor authentication, endpoint security), collaboration tools (Slack, Teams), video conferencing licences, and cloud storage. Research shows that 72% of employees say their company needs to invest in new technologies to support remote work effectively, so don't underinvest in infrastructure.

Can casual employees request flexible work in Australia?

Yes. Casual employees who've worked regularly and systematically for at least 12 months with reasonable expectation of continuing employment have the same right to request as permanent employees under the Fair Work Act, provided they meet one of the specified circumstances under s.65. This protects long-term casuals who are effectively part of your permanent workforce. Fair Work Commission cases have scrutinised whether casual employees meet these criteria, emphasising that the employment must be regular and systematic with genuine expectation of continuation.

How long should a flexible work trial period be?

Three to six months is typical. This provides enough time to assess whether the arrangement works operationally whilst giving both parties confidence to make adjustments. Build in formal check-ins (e.g., at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months) to review progress, address issues early, and make refinements. After the trial, either transition to permanent or make further adjustments based on learnings. Many organisations use trial periods as a way to test arrangements before committing long-term.