Youth IDEAS Report 52 flexible work

Flexible Working Arrangements

This study looks at ways to maximize the advantages of the flexible working arrangements. They help to maintain productivity, improve work-life balance and have become a normal part of working life during the pandemic..

The government has tried to encourage flexible working arrangements (FWAs) since 2006. The introduction of familyfriendly employment practices was a start but greater flexibility is needed in terms of where and when work is completed.

Key points from full-time working youth ● The majority rated FWAs as enablers of work-life balance at 6.89 on a 0-10 scale. ● 45% said they understood that FWAs might be unsuitable for some types of work. ● 43.4% hoped employers would offer FWAs. ● 21.1% said their employers allowed FWAs before the pandemic. ● 18.2% had worked from home during the pandemic.

Views from business sector experts FWAs are difficult to implement, according to industry experts, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with insufficient human and financial resources. Interviews with representatives of employers said there were limits to flexibility in certain industries. ● A representative of the Employers’ Federation of Hong Kong was concerned about the effect predominantly online communication could have on service industries. ● Company representatives revealed difficulties faced by managers trying to facilitate communication between colleagues and trying to measure performance when FWAs were implemented. ● A Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce spokesperson was concerned about the effect that FWAs and working from home would have on training of new recruits and the burden they could add to administration.

Report No.52 HKFYG Youth I.D.E.A.S. Livelihood group Published title Maximizing the Advantages of Flexible Working Arrangements Participants/respondents 521 full-time working youth aged 20-39 More details in Chinese yrc.hkfyg.org. hk/2020/09/28/yi052/ Enquiries Adam Choi 3755 7042 Comments from Youth I.D.E.A.S. think tank members Ronald Chan, group convenor “The Hong Kong workplace lacks flexibility in general. The government should optimize the Distance Business Programme by increasing funding for each SME that adopts IT solutions. This would allow businesses to continue offering services during the pandemic and provide incentives for implementing FWAs.” Jenny Liu, deputy group convenor “Regulatory bodies should review insurance coverage in existing labour laws and share best practice for FWAs in SMEs during the pandemic while continuing research into the use of FWAs in Hong Kong workplaces.” Ricky Szeto, group member “Currently, the government’s promotion of FWAs lacks transparency and has no effective measurement mechanism so it is difficult to monitor. The government should set up employee-based indicators with reference to practice in the UK and Singapore. These should include the level of acceptance of FWAs among employees, the extent to which FWAs are implemented and the level of employee satisfaction with them.” Petra Pun and David Tsoi, group members “The Family Council is responsible for promoting family-friendly policies in the workplace but its roles and function need review given changes since its establishment in 2007, especially during the pandemic. In the long run, the government should broaden the scope of family-friendly employment practices to cater for youth’s needs. There should also be government subsidies or tax benefits awarded to companies in the Family-Friendly Employers Award Scheme, thus helping to create a flexible working culture that benefits both employers and employees.”