IS FLEXIBALISATION A PANCEA TO THE CHALLENGE OF WORK LIFE BALANCE IN ZAMBIA

According to the latest changes in the Zambia Labour Laws-Employment (Amendment) there is an introduction of Flexibilisation. According to the Employment (Amendment) No.15 of 2015 “Flexibalisation” means an employment trend that is characterized by different aspects of human resource management, such as—

(a) pay flexibility, which is focused on performance related pay and pay bargaining;

(b) contractual flexibility, which is focused mainly on non-permanent contracts of service, sub-contracting and outsourcing;

(c) task flexibility, which allows employees to perform various activities; and

(d) working hours’ flexibility, which focuses on part-time working, job sharing and flexi -hours of work; “full-time” means employment under a contract of service that stipulates the maximum number of statutory or conventional hours prescribed for a week, month or year, but excludes overtime work.

Flexibalisation is a new human resources management practice introduced to the Zambian Labour market and its yet to be fully implemented in Institutions and the Public Service at large.

WHAT FLEXIBILISATION ENTAILS

Flexibilisation‟ comes from the word Flexicurity – flexibility for the Employer whilst providing Security for the employee hence the term FLEXIBILISATION. It aims at stopping “rigid‟ forms of employment relationship.

In a flexible labour market firms/Companies are under fewer regulations regarding the labour force and can therefore set wages (i.e. no minimum wage), and change their hours. It means that workers should have the right to request “flexible work arrangements from their employers.” Flexible work arrangements are arrangements whereby a worker deviates from a standard workforce.This deviation might include:

                       1. Decrease in working hours

                 2. Shift in hours (flexi-time)

                  3. Shift in location of work

                 4.  Compressed days

              5.Negotiated salary and wages based on agreed               performance

For example, it means that an employee could choose to alter their start and end times on given days during the week, completing required hours of work but doing it from maybe 10:00am to 18:00pm instead of the traditional 08:00am to 5:00pm Zambian time. This however, has to be agreed upon with their respective employers who may also refuse based on their business needs.

SOME BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILIZATION: FLEXI-TIME

In this demanding economy, workers are facing daily challenges with work life balance. Workers are finding it increasingly difficult to take time off or reschedule work in order to spend time with families or take care of Children, pursue studies etc. and this affects everyone especially working women, no wonder Zambian women utilizes Mothers days to accommodate all kinds of errands.

Thus, Flexibilisation particularly flexi-time, to a large extent can be a panacea to the challenge of work life balance especially the women who undergo a lot of family pressure such as preparing for school children, nursing patients, attending to family issues and many similar justifiable demands. Equally, some employees are doing self-sponsored studies, some are students who need to finish project, assignments, attend classes in the evening, thus flexible working arrangements can be benefit both employees and employers who want to meet their targets and focus on personal development. It will also reduce on stress to meet work and family demands. In the Zambian case, it can even reduce traffic on the roads due to rushing to offices at the same time for the entire Zambia. Some benefits to employers:

 1.    Increase productivity: Focus is on outcomes/results not hours spent in the         office;

2. Reduced turnover: Employees will find that employer to be the best;

3.    Healthy workforce: Reduced stress and fatigue

4.    Gives a competitive advantage;

5.    Attract and retain skilled workforce; and 

6. Greater staff moral and reduced absenteeism.

INGREDIENT TO ACTUALIZE FLEXIBILISATION.

For Institutions and Companies to actualize this, there must be a total mindset shift whereby there will be mutual understanding, mutual respect and mutual trust from employees and employers. Work deliverables should not be compromised and flexi-time should be used for real issues and not just to use this for running away from real work. Employers therefore should trust their employees while employees should show integrity and respect their employers by meeting their performance targets and even exceeding so that it is a win-win situation.

CONCLUSION:

Flexibilization is a good practice if well implemented and managed as focus by employers should be on results/outcomes not the rigid policies as in this dynamic times, it requires adaptability to the prevailing situations.

Contributions are very welcome!

                           God bless .