Spotlight on Flexible Workplace Agreements (FWA) in practice

Could you describe the FWA you implemented after your parental leave?

I have a Flexible Workplace Agreement (FWA) that enables me to work from home 4 days a week and attend the office every Thursday.

What benefits does the FWA provide to you in your role as a parent?

Not having to travel to and from the office has allowed me to be much more involved in daily family duties such as school pickup and drop off, doctors visits, and also allowing me to watch my babies grow and develop much more than if I was in the office full-time.

Was it easy to implement the FWA within your team and with your leader?

100%! My team leader has been awesome. It was an effortless process, and everyone involved has made adjusting the work/life balance simpler.

Can you share a memorable moment you’ve experienced because of your FWA?

Being able to witness my twins roll over for the first time, and working a room away from them has enabled me to experience more of their developmental milestones.

Has your experience with flexible working influenced your perspective on traditional gender roles?

Yes! Flexible working arrangements enable better work-life balance, challenging traditional gender roles by allowing individuals to share caregiving responsibilities more equally. Access to flexible schedules or remote work options promotes equal career opportunities, challenging stereotypes about gender commitment to careers. Experiencing workplace flexibility first-hand raises awareness of gender role biases, prompting us all to question and confront these stereotypes in personal and professional contexts.

What advice would you give to other men considering taking flexible parental leave and FWA?

Go for it, there is almost no downside. I can’t think of anything more rewarding then being there to support your partner, sharing the physical and emotional load, and spend valuable time with your family.

Studies show that men who take parental leave are more likely to become better at multitasking and are more empathetic leaders. Have you noticed this in yourself?

Having children does change perspectives on many things, being able to multitask and find solutions on the go is a must. I find myself more considerate and empathetic in most scenarios.

Now that you’ve experienced parental leave and having a FWA, is this something that you’d look for in an employer?

I strongly believe that every employer should implement a flexible working policy. There are so many benefits, and this would be one of the key things I would look for in any employer.

How could Custom Fleet as an employer make the process better?

I personally don’t know how to improve this policy, as its already great! I thoroughly enjoyed my parental leave, and having an employer that is considerate and offers flexible working is awesome.

Has your perspective on work-life balance or gender roles changed as a result of your experience with flexible parental leave?

I was always anxious leaving my partner with the kids to head to work. I know how taxing and hectic it can be, especially because I now have the ability to work from home. I use my normal travel time to help out my family, so it’s greatly improved my work-life balance. For my family, gender-based roles don’t really exist, and being home more has allowed me to pick more responsibilities of managing daily life as a family of six.

Do you think there specific conversations or initiatives that could encourage more men to take an active role in parenting and consider flexible parental leave?

If I think back to before my first child, it was daunting. We were given so much advice from so many people. I think more conversation needs to be had on what it means to be a parent, and how rewarding it is being an active part of your children growing up. Flexible parental leave allows this transition to be stress-free, there is so much learning to be done as new parents, and setting solid routines is advantageous. Being able to do that and not stress about work for this period is awesome.

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