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Case Study: Flexible Working - KPMG
KPMG had a 94% acceptance rate for formal requests for flexible working, but they wanted to extend this further and also ensure that flexible working was owned by the business rather than seen as an HR process. So they decided to set up a network of Flexible Working Champions (FWCs), representing different areas of the business. The aim is for the network to:
- Build up a bank of knowledge and experience on flexible working and so become a source of information to the People Management Leader (PML) community on what does and does not work.
- Coach and advise other PMLs on possible flexible working solutions without dictating actions to be taken
- Understand, implement, advise on and influence internal policy on flexible working
- Proactively highlight and share examples of best practice with other PMLs and with the wider organisations
- Act as a distribution point to PMLs for information on flexible working
- Be a point of communication and contact for flexible workers and their line managers
- Lead by example
Achievements/Lessons learned
The network has met a number of times. It has its own email distribution list and password protected e-room. An ongoing communication plan ensures that managers and staff are aware of the FWCs and their role. Within their own businesses most FWCs have now presented to their people managers and, in some cases, to their business leaders, and are helping them develop relevant solutions to flexible working issues in their unit, eg, annualised days for project based areas.
The network has met a number of times. It has its own email distribution list and password protected e-room. An ongoing communication plan ensures that managers and staff are aware of the FWCs and their role. Within their own businesses most FWCs have now presented to their people managers and, in some cases, to their business leaders, and are helping them develop relevant solutions to flexible working issues in their unit, eg, annualised days for project based areas.Flexible working is included in the people Key Performance Indicators The ultimate aim is that flexible working will be so integrated into the business that FWCs are no longer needed.
KPMG won the Opportunity Now City Award in 2007 for its work on flexible working.
Contact Point
www.kpmg.co.uk
