When And How To Ask For Flexible Work Arrangements During The Job Search Process

It’s 2016 and the good news is that employers are more informed than ever about the benefits of work flexibility.  They know now through research that employees who enjoy work-life balance are happier.  And this in turn translates into better morale, a better work environment, and ultimately more committed and productive workers.  In fact, to attract and hold on to top talent, offering workplace flexibility is almost mandatory in today’s workplace climate.  Best of all, research shows that when workplace flexibility works it’s a win-win for both employee and employer.

In our work at Work Happy Mums, the question of HOW and WHEN to ask about flexible work arrangements during the job search process is probably one that we get asked most. For many working women, work flexibility is the crucial piece of the happiness-at-work puzzle. Whether you are wanting to pick up your kids from school, or wanting to further your education, that bit of extra time outside of work can make the difference between work-life balance, or not balance.

Luckily there is a solid process that can, and will, help you.  Here is our 4-step guide to help you with the important HOW and WHEN of work flexibility.  

1. Know what you need
  

• Identify what extra time you need outside of work, and when you need it.  This will help work out what kind of schedule will help you achieve your goals, whether it’s getting a new qualification, or spending more time with the kids.

• Know your options – work flexibility comes in many forms: part-time, job-share, working from home, even phased retirement.  Think about what options will work best for you and your employer.

2. Know your employer

• Research your employer, or prospective employer.  Getting the lay of the land before you even go into negotiations is really crucial and will help you find out where your employer stands on the issue of work flexibility.  Look at the company’s website, or even make a casual call, if they have on-site daycare facilities and a well-appointed pumping room for breastfeeding moms those are pretty strong signs that they have a good family-friendly culture. It’s also possible that your new workplaces already has a flexible work programme in place.  This information is usually something a company will advertise and can be easily found out.

• If it’s proving harder to get the information you need, Google and social media are great places to carry out detective work. There are also very useful websites out there with information on companies and their work-life balance policies (official or unofficial). With Glassdoor employees give scores to their companies for things like work-balance, as well as reviews of their experiences working in particular positions. Fairygodboss shares company reviews written for women, by women.  Just remember that these are all just opinions of people and so must be taken with a grain of salt.  

• One last option is the subtly enquire at your interview.  But note the interview is not the time or place to negotiate work flexibility.  This should be done after you have been offered the job.  Instead you can ask questions such as:​ How would you describe the company culture? What kind of person succeeds here? With a few questions like this you will be able to sense if there is an openness to work flexibility.  ​

3. Making your case

Congratulations – you’ve been offered the job!  Now is the time for you to negotiate for flexible work hours.  You’ve already looked through your options and found the flexible work option that fits you and your employer.  Now you want to present your case in the best way possible to your new prospective employer.  

• First, you need to break down the tasks that your job requires and set out how it can be achieved in your new proposed schedule.  It’s very important to be realistic, a full-time job cannot be done in part-time hours.  

• Show that you have thought about how your proposal will impact both colleagues and clients. This kind of consideration will throw your new schedule in the best possible light.  

• Arrange ways to stay in touch with your manager and your colleagues.  A direct line of communication will be the key to making this new schedule work for everyone. 

• Set a trial period for your new working schedule.  This is both for yourself and your employee and allows you to iron out any kinks. In fact many women find that they only need a flexible work schedule for a certain period of time, after which they happily return to their normal work programme.  

• Voice your willingness to be flexible about your work flexibility.  If it’s not working for both parties, then it’s not working.  

4. Negotiating flexibility

• It’s always good to have a contingency plan.  Here are some important questions to ask yourself.  What if your employer doesn’t accept your proposal? Would you decline the job offer?  Think about how important flexibility is for you.  If your initial offer is not met, one option is to go back with reasonable variations on your flexible work schedule.  However, be careful to be reasonable and show an openness to compromise.

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• If this is your ideal job, with great benefits and pay, a lower-risk option would be to accept the job as is and think about proposing a flexible work schedule at a later date.

• Lastly, remember that your relationship with your employer is like any other relationship.  The key to success is a firm basis of trust, a willingness to compromise, and above all, the understanding that the needs of both parties should be met.  

 
Work flexibility is achievable. And with just some careful planning and the right schedule it can allow you to have your ideal job, as well as being a win-win for both you and your employer. 


If you'd like some additional support finding a job that ticks all your career and family boxes, take a look at Get Hired!, my step-by-step guide to the modern job search.

The course includes:
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• 5 jam-packed modules with hands-on, how-to information, tips and exercises.
• Easy to customise templates including CV, cover letter, 'elevator pitch' and email networking.
• Membership in my private Facebook Group - WHM Job Hackers - where you can network and troubleshoot with other mums, and get direct access to me to answer your questions and help you get the most out of the course. 

You can find the full course details including the curriculum and FAQ's here.





Melanie Fieseler is a Career Consultant and Director at Work Happy Mums, the go-to resource for return-to-work professional women and career advancers. We're building a better future for working mothers and the organisations they work for. Join our community and help both our families and businesses thrive. 
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