Setting up a flexible working arrangement at previous Big American Employer:

  • Discuss needs with manager and team leader.
  • Submit a Flexible Working Agreement proposal via special web form, specifying working hours and place for every day, providing a business justification, listing potential difficulties and how they will be resolved.
  • Wait for proposal to be approved by manager and HR.
  • Receive written confirmation of FWA.
  • Follow FWA.

To be honest, calling that procedure “flexible working” was misleading, because after the agreement had been negotiated, there wasn’t much flexibility in it. If the FWA stipulated working 80%, with Mondays off and Fridays worked from home, then the employee was expected to follow that. “Nonstandard working agreement” would be a more correct name. Still, it worked well in practice and I was quite happy with the arrangement.

Setting up a flexible working arrangement at current Small Swedish Employer required exactly two five-minute conversations.

HT – Can I work part-time?
CEO – Yes, you can.
HT – Do you prefer a full week but shorter days, or a shorter week?
CEO – Whichever… talk to your team leader.

HT – I’d like to work part-time. Do you prefer a full week but shorter days, or a shorter week?
TL – Whichever you like.
HT – OK, I’ll try a shorter week, then. Which day off would work best?
TL – Whichever you like.
HT – Umm… Wednesday?
TL – Sure. If you want to change it later, let me know.