Kristen Gyles | Public sector now leading the way

I think it would be fair to say the public sector now sets the standard. The public sector wage restructuring exercise which saw public sector salaries increasing by as much as 300 per cent in some cases, played a significant role in elevating the perception of public sector work in Jamaica. In addition to long-standing benefits like the granting of departmental leave, which is largely absent across the private sector, recent upgrades to public sector benefits have also helped to make government work more attractive.

For example, many private sector employers still do not recognise the role of fathers in early-stage parenting and consequently do not grant the paternity leave that a father needs to bond with his newborn child and support the mother in her post-birth recovery. The public sector now does so and has been doing so since January 1, 2023.

Another big win for the public sector is the implementation of flexible working hours. Legislation facilitating flexible work arrangements has existed for some time now. However, the implementation of it has not been seen on a wide scale basis. Minister Audrey Marks who has responsibility for efficiency, innovation and digital transformation, announced that starting February 2, the public sector would be implementing flexible work hours.

What this means is that employees across government ministries, agencies and departments will not all be required to begin working at the same time and will consequently not end their workdays at the same time.

Most government buildings are situated in Kingston and St. Andrew. Traffic in the corporate area, especially, is a nuisance on any given day but intensifies into a hostage situation during 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Worst of all, traffic gets so bad whenever it rains or becomes overcast that it becomes tempting to think there are more vehicles in the country than people.

RIPPLE EFFECT

Traffic congestion is not just a matter of personal inconvenience. It has a ripple effect on society in numerous ways. First, the boom in housing prices have a lot to do with the increasingly high demand for homes across Kingston. The vast majority of work opportunities exist in the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA) and people who are looking to kickstart their entrepreneurial ventures prioritise this region because it is the country’s most active commercial zone. A person who works in the KMA will prefer to live close to their place of employment or business, specifically because they understand how much of a nightmare the traffic can be.

But everyone can’t live within the KMA. And while many of us would love to move out of Kingston, the traffic situation impedes our ability to do so, i.e. if we are to keep working.

How does this all link back to flexi work hours? When employees get the option to arrive at work outside of the usual work schedule, either as early as 6 a.m. or as late as 10 a.m., it means traffic congestion immediately subsides. Of course, one Smart Alec will probably argue that an employee can always report to work early without the implementation of flexible work hours. Yes, Smart Alec. That is true. But, unless the individual is given the leeway to also leave work prior to the typical closing time, then consistently arriving early just means they are committing themselves to doing more work for the same pay. Furthermore, the traffic such an individual avoids in the morning will certainly have their way with them in the evening.

This bold and brilliant move towards flexible working hours is not mandatory but strongly encouraged for all public sector entities, and naturally, not every single public sector worker will be able to benefit based on the nature of the work that they do. However, if this initiative is embraced and implemented on a wide scale across the public sector, the people of Kingston will see a shift in the levels of traffic congestion.

MORE FLEXIBILITY

The minister’s intention seems to be to roll out, on a phased basis, other initiatives that will give workers more flexibility in their work. Other initiatives under contemplation include hybrid work and compressed workweeks.

Some old-fashioned people are going to repel these beautiful initiatives. They have difficulty leading their teams to produce good work without physically standing over them. So, unless they are physically present in the office for the same hours and on the same days as all their team members, they experience discomfort. This initiative will expose deficient leadership. However, the Kingston workforce at large cannot be held at ransom over the stubbornness of a few. Leadership must emphasise output over physical presence.

Frankly, while some employees perform at a higher standard and produce more work while working from office there are others who produce more work from their homes. There are several reasons for this. Many work environments are not retrofitted with workstations that allow employees to engage in deep work. Employees often sit on crowded, open-concept floors. So, an employee may be able to recite the entire conversation their co-worker had on the phone two minutes ago because, well, it occurred right beside them. This may not be an issue when work is largely administrative but is unproductive for employees whose work requires full cognitive immersion.

In such a case, remote work might be preferable. And again, some employees live in noisy homes and prefer to work from office, and that is fine too.

This is why flexible work arrangements are so critical. They acknowledge that people live different lives. The public sector celebrates the advent of flexi work hours and eagerly awaits the implementation of even more flexible modalities for work.

Kristen Gyles is a free-thinking public affairs opinionator. Send feedback to kristengyles@gmail.com and columns@gleanerjm.com