Case study: Normalising flexibility for operational roles

Rewriting rituals

Viva Energy?has a CEO who is leading the company’s push to make flexibility work for frontline jobs.

The energy company owns and operates the Geelong Refinery in Victoria, and manages bulk fuels, aviation, bitumen, marine, chemicals and lubricants businesses supported by more than 20 terminals and 55 airports and airfields across the country. Men comprise approximately ? of its workforce.

Normalising flexibility in operational jobs is a work stream that CEO Scott Wyatt is leading as part of the Champions of Change coalition.

“We have seen a significant increase in flexible working opportunities for those in office-based roles, though it is important to challenge our thinking on how we can enable it for our frontline employees,” Mr Wyatt said.

“It’s more complex to improve flexibility for shift and site-based roles. There are gains to be made in engagement, diversity and productivity if we continue to challenge the ways we have worked in the past.”

The company is prioritising these key areas to make this happen for frontline roles.

• Challenging rituals and leveraging technology?– such as changing habits around the operational pre-start meetings at the refinery to hold these remotely, allowing flexibility for offsite dial-in.
• Influencing mindsets to create change?- Frontline supervisors are encouraged to participate in inclusive leadership training, and the company looks to share stories where norms have been challenged – like at Sydney Airport, where part-time arrangements have been embraced for refuellers.
• Enhancing flexibility via Enterprise Agreements?-?recently introduced different shift rates for refuellers at Perth airport. This gives team members the flexibility to work Monday to Friday, rather than weekend shifts at times when they need to spend more time with family.

Flex on the menu

Food manufacturing company?Kellogg’s Australia?has been embracing flexibility since 2018 and has maintained the momentum in the time since COVID started.

Acknowledging that each employee will have different needs, the company offers a ‘flex menu’ to allow workers to select an option that suits.

Training is prioritised for managers on how to role model and implement flexible work in their teams, and an online Family Konnect Hub keeps flexibility and working parents front and centre.

The company has been trialling ways to encourage employees to manage work and life commitments, through initiatives such as:

• Lunch and sun?- all calendars are blocked out between 12 and 1pm to drive greater wellbeing and an opportunity for a break from meetings;
• Video free meetings?-?from 4pm everyday;
• Meeting free days??- trialled as part of World Mental Health Day, with positive feedback from staff;
• ‘Half-day Fridays’?– encouraging employees to finish at 1pm on Fridays, if they’ve completed their working hours for the week through condensed hours.

Brett Mortensen, Senior Director of ANZ Human Resources said the revised offerings have been crafted with a focus on staff.

“Our new flexible working initiatives will help us continue to foster a supportive and inclusive work culture where our employees can be at their best, at work and at home.”