Flexibility ‘business as usual’ at Stockland

To celebrate Flexible Working Day 2019, we turn the spotlight to our employer partners leading the way in flexibility.

The following article has been submitted to us by Stockland:

Our flexibility strategy focuses on making flexibility business as usual.

Our workplace practices and leave policies seek to foster a flexible working environment. Work-life balance commitments continue to be important to employee wellbeing and workplace flexibility and a key reason why our people choose to stay working with us.

Our annual engagement survey shows that “my immediate manager is considerate of my life outside work” is one of our top strengths and that work/life balance was one of most popular reasons that people stay at Stockland.

Our position is that all roles should be considered flexible. Our commitment to flexible working is designed to make it easier for employees to continue to develop a successful career, while balancing other commitments outside of work. This commitment is supported by tools for people managers and an online application and monitoring system.

Whilst many employees have informal arrangements in place with their manager and teams, the online application system is used for formal arrangements including working from home, part-time employment and job share. Applications are monitored and supported by the Human Resources function to provide for equitable outcomes.

Informal or ad hoc flexibility is headlined by our One Simple Thing initiative, which encourages employees and managers to discuss the ‘one simple thing’ which can support an employee’s work/life balance. This is supported by tools and regular communication which is tracked in our people management system. These flexibility conversations are a KPI for our senior management.

• Workplace flexibility is a key enabler of attracting and retaining women in management and Stockland has a target of 80+ per cent return to work from parental leave which is consistently outperformed, with a 91 per cent return rate in FY18.
• Our parental leave policies offer Parental Flex options and more flexibility for non-primary carers. In addition to the 16 weeks’ Paid Parental Leave Stockland offers, primary care givers are now also able to select one of three Parental Flex Options when applying for leave
• If a non-primary care giver subsequently assumes the responsibility of primary care giver within twelve months of birth, adoption or fostering, the employee can take up to an additional 14 weeks primary carer’s leave. This encourages our male employees to take advantage of both primary and secondary carers leave so they can devote time to and care for their child with their partner, which Stockland widely advocates given the numerous benefits this creates

Pennie Teh, GM Group Risk Officer

What are employees saying about working flexibly at Stockland?

• “Parental leave and flexible working are now a ‘given’ not just at Stockland, but across a host of companies and industries. The conversation has to be about flexibility for everyone,” said Louise Mason, Group Executive & CEO Commercial Property, Stockland.
• Adam Renai, Development Manager Commercial Property (Brisbane) took parental leave in 2017 –  “It’s one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life. I would say it’s important to figure out what will work best for your family, then have a chat with your manager and know you’ll be well-supported at Stockland.”
  Adam and wife Phillipa have documented their story via video which focuses on the benefits; bonding with his two children, understanding the demands of running a household and providing an opportunity for his wife to return to work as a GP with the support of Adam looking after the house and children’s needs during what can be a challenging period of transition.
• Patrick Noble, Senior Development Manager (NSW) took 3 months of parental leave in 2017 – it was an opportunity to bond with his two children and for his wife Guianna to return to work.
• Pennie Teh (NSW) has taken parental leave twice at Stockland, returning for the second time in 2018. During her parental leave Pennie was promoted into a General Manager role, Group Risk Officer. Pennie works flexibly 4 days per week and has altered start and finish times to accommodate childcare arrangements.
  “Working for an organisation that supports gender equity, diversity and inclusion means I work in a workplace that supports flexibility – this is important to me as it allows me the space and ability to manage my work, life and my own wellbeing,” said Pennie Teh, GM Group Risk Officer, Stockland.

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Interested in working at Stockland? See their available roles here.