changes in working practices

• what are the functions of the HR department ?

  • Organise hiring employees (recruitment).
  • Employment rules and regulations.
  • Training and Appraisal.
  • Working conditions.
  • Communication.
  • Complies with employment-related legislation.
• do all businesses have a hr department ?

  Some businesses choose to OUTSOURCE their HR.an estimated 40%-50% of large companies outsource all or part of their HR needs”.
• what is the definition of working arrangements ?

  An employee’s working arrangements are the particular aspects of their employment, including where they work, their hours of work, and their pay.
• what is a flexible workplace ?

  • A flexible workforce is one designed to provide labour in the quantities required at the time that businesses need it.
  • Every business has changing demand for labour.
  • The flexible workforce is designed to meet these changing
  • demand patterns and provide labour specifically when it is
  • required.
• advantages of flexible workforce to employees ?

  • Businesses can expand and contract their workforce quickly in response to demand 🡪 Permanent staff are not easy to dispose of. Helps to manage labour costs more effectively
  • Temporary staff are cheaper to employ 🡪 Reduced training costs
  • A flexible workforce is likely to make a business more efficient 🡪 Lowers costs, money can be used elsewhere
  • Reduces staff absence and transport delays 🡪 few HRM issues and staff a more productive
• disadvantages of flexible workforce for employees ?

  • Some workers may take advantage when WFH 🡪 less productive
  • Clear guidance and rules should be established which can be time consuming 🡪 important to maintain positive workplace relationship and productive employees
• changing working patterns ( advantages )

  • Potentially less stressful 🡪 can improve productivity when in work.
  • Flexibility may benefit those with young children 🡪 attract candidates for vacancies
  • When employees feel as though they have the trust, freedom and flexibility to work how and where they want, they are likely to be more productive 🡪 Higher job satisfaction and higher morale
  • Improves work life balance 🡪 staff feel respected
  • More flexible working hours to attend meetings (virtually) – time is not wasted travelling
• changing working patterns ( disadvantages)


  • May not feel part of the business as they not present regularly 🡪 Decreases staff morale
  • Less opportunities for training and promotion 🡪 businesses can’t justify training temporary workers
  • Harder to communicate 🡪 buzz of the office is lost where ideas casually flow from person to person, tasks may take longer
  • The ‘unknown’ (in terms of zero hour contracts) may worry employees 🡪 may have security concerns
• identify examples of flexible working ?

  • homeworking
  • flexible hours
  • job sharing
  • part time working
• zero hour contracts ?

  this type of contract means that employee has to be available for work but is not garunteed any work . This provides the employers with total flexibility . workers on these contracts virtually no income security at all . these contracts are being increasingly criticized for exploiting ?
• multiskilling ?

  this involves businesses training their workforce to be able to work effectively across a range of tasks .

  • greater flexibility
  • higher motivation
  • change is easier to implement with a flexible workforce
• job sharing

  two people share the same job , often a 50/50 split .

  • example ; new mothers
• temporary job

  employment for a specific period of time , like six months to cover maternity leave . The growth of temp jobs are being criticized by trade unions as it offers little job security or career development to those employees .
• hot desking ?

  hot desking means that an employee has no fixed work space within an office environment . hot desking cuts the need for office space . It is also cuts down the need for office space . Also it allows for greater innovation and encourages new networks to be established in the workplace .. some believe hot desking minimises workplace relationships and feel disconnected from the organisation
• flexible hours ?

  A worker on flexible hours has agreed number of working hours .These are made up of core hours which must be worked . This can work well for parents who may need to collect their children from school .
• part time working

  Part-time work is a flexible arrangement where an employee works less than full-time hours , parents with young children and student find this working fits their requirements . At quieter times the core full-time staff are sufficient . clearly having cost - saving implications
• homeworking

  Working from home refers to an office at home. It is the most common way of working remotely, and an employee might work from home all the time, or as part of a hybrid working arrangement

  • no stress of commuting
  • reduction in overheads if less office space is required