How I utilise the Flexi-work Policy

The handful of you who have been reading my blog for many years would know that flexi-work is a benefit that I really truly value and something that I would like to see being adopted by more companies, as well as (dare I hope?) the government sector in Malaysia. Whenever I talk to my friends about the flexi-work policy of the company I'm working for, most of them would be so impressed and ask "Is there any vacancy that I can apply to?"

Flashback to almost 5 years ago, this is where I outlined the policy, and most relevant for the context of this post are flexible working hours and working outside office. But for this post, I would like to elaborate a bit on how I have utilised the flexi-work policy.

When MHH was away studying in Penang, I discussed with my boss and he agreed to let me work from home in Penang one week in a month. Because I would also need to look after Munief who was about 6 months old then, I offered to use up one day of annual leave for each week I stayed in Penang to make up for the times I am attending to Munief instead of doing work. But after Afiefah was born, I discontinued this practise because it gets more challenging to look after a 2-year-old and a baby and get all the tasks done. I might need to use up more annual leave than I could afford to.

In early 2010, I accepted a new role that requires me to publish a set of reports every day by 8.30 am.  I negotiated with my boss and he agreed to let me do those at home before leaving for work. I appreciate this because I was able to settle the time-sensitive task first, and then I am able to spend time with my family, get the kids ready for school, bathe the little one, fix a simple breakfast for them, and sometimes even get house chores done (usually it's sidai baju). I also love being able to save time by skipping the peak hour heavy traffic. I wrote about this here. When I send Hasief to his care-giver at 9 plus, the neighbour (who are my parents' friends) or friends visiting the care-giver would sometimes remark, "Lambat pergi kerja hari ni?" And then I would explain that I've worked at home earlier, and even talk a bit about the flexi-work policy.

Sometimes, when I need to look after my kids at home (for example, when one of them is ill, or when their care-giver have some business to attend to ask for 'cuti') yet can't afford to spend too much annual leave, I would do a 'half-day + WFH' (work from home). It doesn't have to be 'morning off' or 'afternoon off' - I could be working an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon, one hour in the evening, and one hour at night. Unless there's a meeting, then of course I would need to cater to the timing. I was aghast when MHH explained that in his workplace, when you take half-day in the morning, the other half needs to be taken in the afternoon, and the pair have to be within the same month. That's so rigid! For the school holiday that just passed, I utilised a few of this 'half-day + WFH' so that we can take the kids out someplace interesting in the afternoon.

Afiefah finishes kindergarten at 11.30 (Munief chose to stay-on till 6). Since MHH's workplace is nearby, his daily routine would include picking her up and sending her to her care-giver's house (to join her little brother). Sometimes MHH is not able to because he has to be someplace further for the whole day (course, function, work etc). He would notify me early, and I would plan accordingly  and take over. I would send Hasief at 9 plus as though I would be going to the office, but I would come back home and work there till 11.30. Then I pick up Fifa, send her over, and then go to the office. I have also done this when I was taking turn picking up my little brother from school.

Things like coming to the office a bit late or leaving a bit early because there's something to do, and then making it up at night or during weekend is a common practise. Here are some of the other examples of how my colleagues or their friends utilise flexi-work benefit.

After sending her kids to school, she would go to the office (different location than mine), one of the earliest at 7 plus. She leaves to pick up her kids at 1 something, cook them lunch, get them ready for sekolah agama in the afternoon. After sending them, she will continue her work, from home, till evening or night (with breaks in between, of course).

A friend of mine has a regional role so she didn't need to be present at the office often because she communicates with colleagues from other locations (countries). So, she works mostly from home. She doesn't have kids yet.

I met a lady who works fulltime at home because her home is 3 hours from the nearest office (London) and she doesn't want to move. It's feasible because she has a global role. Indeed there are some posts (not many) in the company vacancy page that list the location as 'Virtual'. Like my friend, she also has no child yet. She did however admit that she finds it distracting when there's any other person at home (she lives alone), for example when her mother comes to visit and stay with her.

Don't be mistaken into thinking that only women utilise the flexi-work policy. I recently worked (for a short project) with a guy who works mostly from home. I could hear his kids' sounds in the background during our calls. He said it took some time for his family and friends to get used to it. Sometimes they'd meet him at some coffee shop with his laptop and assume he wasn't working, but he was.

So, what does it take for a flexi-work policy to be able to be implemented successfully?

Firstly, technology is a key enabler. There is virtually no difference between working from home or at the office in terms of access, connectivity, documents and softwares. Communication is also convenient and cheap (free, even) with tools like instant messaging, computer call, desktop sharing, video conferencing, live meeting etc.

Secondly, the employees must act like responsible adults who can be trusted to complete their tasks, accountable to manage their time, and not abuse the privilege. A healthy performance-based culture helps.

Granted, flexi-work policy is not suitable for some tasks, and also not suited to some people, but I earnestly believe that having it in place will be a boon, blessing to working parents (or anyone really) in their quest to have work-life balance and lead a full, rich lives, and it will definitely be a value proposition for the employers to attract and retain top talents (especially women).

I will end this already-too-long 'essay' by repeating what I have mentioned in the first paragraph, that I would love to see flexible working policy being adopted by more employers in Malaysia, gradually becoming a normal working culture. I would also like to share that my dream (wish?) is to work part-time (my attempt in 2009 to ask for a 4-day work week was rejected) - a case of 'diberi betis hendakkan paha'!