How to negotiate flexible work

Flexible work is about more than part-time roles and working from home. Oh, and it’s not just for ‘office’ jobs either...

By jitendermittal

Published 10 July, 2025

How to negotiate flexible work

Flexible work is about more than part-time roles and working from home. Oh, and it’s not just for ‘office’ jobs either...

By jitendermittal

Published 10 July, 2025

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Flexible work is on the rise in Australia. This is because of its well-proven benefits – to employees, teams and companies. Despite this, women continue to face bias and barriers when it comes to finding work that is flexible around their caring commitments. This resource is designed to help you successfully negotiate flexible working arrangements that work for you – whether you’re looking for work or in a new role.

What is flexible work?

Flexible work is about much more than part-time roles and working from home. And it’s not just for ‘office’ jobs.

Understanding the full range of potential flexible working arrangements available to you can help you negotiate a solution that works for you and your employer.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) lists the following flexible work arrangements:

Flexible hours of work

This is where you may vary your start and finish times.

Compressed working weeks

You may work the same number of weekly (or fortnightly or monthly) working hours, compressed into a shorter period. For example, a forty-hour week may be worked at the rate of ten hours per day for four days instead of eight hours a day for five days. Changes to salary are not required.

Time in-lieu

You may work approved overtime and be compensated by time-in-lieu. It can include ‘flexi-time’ arrangements where an employee can work extra time over several days or weeks and then reclaim those hours as time off.

Telecommuting

You may work at a location other than the official place of work. A wide range of terms refer to working at different locations, including ‘mobile working’, ‘distributed work’, ‘virtual teams’ and ‘telework’. These are referred to collectively as ‘telecommuting’ in this toolkit.

Note that telecommuting is generally most effective when there is a relatively even split between time spent in the office and working elsewhere. This lessens the sense of isolation that can come from working away from the office.

Part-time work

A regular work pattern where you work less than full-time and are paid on a pro-rate basis for that work. Not all part-time work is necessarily flexible in nature, but it offers flexibility to workers who have other commitments or lifestyle choices that are not compatible with full-time work.

Job sharing

A full-time job role is divided into multiple job roles to be undertaken by two or more employees who are paid on a pro-rata basis for the part of the job each completes.

Purchased leave

A period of leave without pay, usually available after annual leave allocation is finished. Employers typically deduct the amount of unpaid leave from the worker’s salary, and this can be done as a lump sum or averaged over the year.

Unplanned leave

Informal access to leave for unanticipated or unplanned events.

Flexible careers

You are able to enter, exit and re-enter employment with the same organisation, or to increase or decrease your workload or career pace to suit different life stages. This may be particularly relevant for employees transitioning to retirement. It can also include employees who are able to take a ‘gap year’ early in their careers and return to work for the same employer afterwards.

Other choices about hours, patterns and locations

Other options about when, where and how work is done, e.g. overtime and having autonomy to decide when to take breaks during the working day.

Source: Employee Flexibility Toolkit – Workplace Gender Equality Agency

In addition to flexible working arrangements, remember there are additional supports that some organisations provide to support parents and carers, such as leave arrangements that align with school holidays, childcare support, and gradual return-to-work programs following parental leave. All of these can form part of negotiations.

Is there a risk in requesting flex?

The good news is that over the last ten years, organisation’s attitudes towards flexible work have changed significantly – for the better. This is due to years of advocacy and research proving the benefits of flexible work to employees, families and organisations.

The pandemic further disrupted traditional models of presenteeism and proved to organisations that employees can remain productive when working flexibly.

Today, four in five of Australian companies have a flexible working policy or strategy in place, with many embracing the benefits of a more flexible culture in a post-pandemic world.

At the same time, it’s important to remember that bias still exists. Be it explicit discrimination or unconscious bias, some organisations continue to treat women who request flexible or part-time work less favourably in recruitment and promotion processes.

While this is often beyond your control (and seriously not okay), it’s important to keep in mind when considering the best time to start the conversation about flex.

Flexible work for carers

If you are a carer looking to learn more about your rights, and tips for talking about your caring role at work read Carers Australia’s ‘Carers in the Workplace Guide’.

Here you’ll find information on:

Workplace entitlements for carers
Right to request flexible work
Balancing work and caring commitments

Tips before you begin

Do your research. Gauging how open an organisation (and its industry) is to flexible work will inform how formal or straightforward you expect the conversation to be. This can vary widely. Do they have a flexible work policy? Can you find any articles in the media about how they support parents or carers? Have they advertised any roles as flexible? Do you know anyone from the organisation you can reach out to understand the culture around flexibility?

Top tip: If the company has over 100 employees, you can search them here to check out their flex policies and more.

Know your rights. Given the bias and discrimination (described above) that can impact women at work, it is helpful to know that employers are required by law to avoid discrimination in recruitment. This means avoiding selection criteria and interview questions that could lead to bias, such as asking whether or not you have children, where you were born, or your age (as well-meaning as these questions may be).

Practice out loud. Practice the conversation out loud with a friend, partner or other supporting person who can give you constructive feedback. Role play how you would respond to any push back. Or, at a minimum, try saying it aloud at home.

I’m looking for work. When should I mention my need for flexibility during the application process?

In general, the further along the recruitment process you are the more bargaining power you will have when it comes to negotiating flex. This is to say, that as the employer sees the unique skills, strengths and experience you will bring to the role, the more likely they are to consider your request.

Sometimes, their understanding of the role will evolve during the recruitment process. For the right candidate, they may be prepared to be more flexible at the offer stage than they were at the start of the hiring process.

If the role is advertised as flexible

If the role you are applying for is advertised as flexible, you can begin conversations with the recruiter/employer about what these arrangements might look like for you much earlier in the recruitment process.

However, in a competitive environment make sure to exercise your judgement and be aware of any bias you could face by having these conversations too soon, before you’ve had an opportunity to show what you will bring to the role.

If the role is not explicitly advertised as flexible

Frustratingly, some organisations continue to fail to advertise or offer roles without explicitly mentioning whether flexible working conditions are available. However, for the right candidate they are often open to flexible work arrangements.

In this case, it is generally advisable to hold off on the conversation until further along the interview process. Use your resume, cover letter and initial conversations to position yourself as the ideal candidate. This will give you more bargaining power in the negotiation, and it will give the employer an opportunity to envisage what you can bring to the table.

Rest assured that recruiters are very accustomed to recruiting across different levels and different roles. So this definitely won’t be the first time they’ve had the conversation.

If the role is advertised as full-time but you are seeking a part-time position?

If you have done your research and the company offers flexible work, you can and should apply for full-time positions. If you progress through the recruitment process, you can negotiate after the interview or upon offer in relation to the hours you are available to work.

Note: If you are applying for roles through a recruiter or recruitment agency don’t leave this conversation until a later stage. Be clear on your requirements. Leaving this conversation until the last minute can put you, the recruitment agency and the employer in an uncomfortable position.

What if the employer/recruiter asks about your flexible work arrangements early on?

Some organisations will raise the question of whether you require flexible work arrangements early in their recruitment process. In this case, share your flexibility needs and use the opportunity to have a fuller conversation around their policies and practice, and assess whether they are the right employer for you.

Conversation prompt to begin a conversation about a flexible work arrangement during the application process

Noting that this conversation is highly contextual based on the employer, application process and your previous conversations with them, see below some thought prompts to start a conversation about a flexible work arrangement. You can also check out our tip below for negotiating flex once you’ve landed a new role.

Now that I have a better understanding of the role and responsibilities, I would like to start a conversation about the flexibility available for this position.
From our conversations I feel confident you are a progressive and forward-thinking employer. I have read your flexible work policy and really positive news coverage about flexibility you have provided to your team in the past.
From what I understand of the role, I believe I can complete the position effectively part-time, with only minor modifications to the position required.
I have worked part-time before so I am experienced at managing my workload and working with full-time colleagues.
There is also compelling research to point to the productiveness of part-time employees and I believe with my skills and experience I can complement your existing team.
Would you be open to a part-time arrangement? I can be flexible in relation to the days and hours that I work.

How do I request flex in my current role?

If you’ve started a new job but need to request a flexible working arrangement, the WGEA provides comprehensive advice. We’ve pulled out some key takeaways to set you up for success.

Know your rights. It’s worth knowing that anyone can request flexible work arrangements, however certain employees have a legal entitlement to request them under the Fair Work Act. Employees who have this legal entitlement can be found here. If you are applying for flexible work as an eligible candidate under the Fair Work Act, this must be done formally. An example letter is provided below
Consider the best time and forum. Depending on the workplace culture, consider whether to submit a formal request in writing, or if an informal conversation with your manager is more appropriate in the first instance. When initiating the conversation, choose a time you think your manager will be most receptive (or least stressed).
Be clear on what you’re asking for. Before you start the conversation, be clear on your bottom line, and what you can compromise. Consider bringing a few options or ideas to the table – such as different days, hours or locations.
Pre-empt any concerns. Be prepared to address any concerns you think your manager may have. These could be in relation to productivity, workplace disruption, your commitment to the role, communication and oversight. Focus on communicating how your new working arrangement will be of benefit to your employer, rather than to you. WGEA’s guide above includes common concerns with managers and sample responses to these.
Communicate the benefits. The research on the benefits of flexible work to organisations is very clear. It improves employee wellbeing, job satisfaction, retention, and productivity, as well as creating a stronger pipeline to leadership for women. If possible, you should link your request to any relevant policies, strategies and values the organisation has.
Be flexible. Sometimes, shifting to flexible arrangements can require significant changes to your team or manager’s ways of working. While this shouldn’t put you off, entering the conversation with empathy will help you negotiate effectively. Be prepared with a few potential arrangements; consider suggesting a trial period so you can prove it works; and be open to making adjustments.
Offer strategies to make it work. There are a range of things you can suggest implementing to make flexibility work – from flexibility workshops and training with staff, to using technology to best coordinate schedules and communicate with your team and clients. The WGEA guide above includes these in detail.

Email example to formally request a flexible work arrangement

See below an example from WGEA’s flexibility toolkit to formally request a flexible work arrangement under The Fair Work Act (2009) that provides certain employees, who have worked with the same employer for at least 12 months, have a ‘right to request’ flexible working arrangements if they meet certain criteria.

Hi [insert manager’s name],

I’d like to request a flexible work arrangement under section 65 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act).

I’m making this request as I’ve worked continually as an employee at [company name] for the last 12 months and employed on a [full-time basis/part-time basis/casual basis on a regular and systemic basis].

I’d like to begin working [include details about the working pattern, including times, days and hours] with the effective date from [insert date]. I believe this working arrangement will benefit the business by [insert benefits]. I am committed to working hard to make this arrangement work for all.

This arrangement will also help me because [insert reasons linking to why you are making the request].

To ensure its success [specify the accommodations you need]. Under the Act, I would value your response within 21 days of today’s date.

I’m willing to discuss possible alternatives to the arrangements and am also open to working with you to make sure this arrangement works effectively for everyone.

Yours sincerely,

[your name]