WORK180 Recognizes Jacobs as “Flex Able” Employer for Second Year Running

Jacobs works hard to build an inclusive and diverse workplace that provides our people with the flexibility they need to more easily manage their commitments and responsibilities and achieve a better professional and personal balance. In Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), WORK180 recognized our tangible and meaningful progress in this area by endorsing us as a Flex Able employer for the second year running.

The Flex Able Certification recognizes organizations that walk the talk, demonstrating a clear commitment to flexible working by implementing, promoting and facilitating the uptake of flexible working arrangements for its people.

“In the past, the onus was on the employee to demonstrate why they needed to access flexible work,” said Jacobs Executive Director of Operations and Flexible Working Ambassador Kelly Maslin. “A few years ago, we shifted our focus and now the onus is on the business to demonstrate why not.”

Greater Flexibility for New Parents

At Jacobs, we recognize and celebrate working parents. Our ANZ team recently announced its latest flexibility initiative, a second week of paid parental leave for secondary careers, which allows partners, (same sex or other), to take an additional second week of leave at full pay to share the care of their families.

The new initiative is the latest in a steady stream of programs implemented across ANZ during the last few years to promote inclusion in the workplace for all employees, regardless of personal and professional responsibilities. Previous programs include introducing a flexible working policy and toolkit for ease of access, public holiday swaps, flexible hours and workplaces, compressed working weeks, time-in-lieu, part-time work, job shares, and purchased and unpaid leave.

Celebrating Flexible Working Week 2019

We understand that flexibility isn’t solely about parental caregiving responsibilities and can include many other commitments, responsibilities and phases of life including care of a family member or loved one, and sports, cultural and learning commitments as well as working towards significant life changes such as retirement or living with a physical, cognitive, mental health illness or other adaptive challenges.

As part of Flexible Working Week, a WORK180 initiative that encourages people to take the opportunity to discuss how their role might be done more flexibly with their employer, we’re driving the conversation around flexibility in our industry. 

“We all need to get better at working in a way that works for us to deliver the best outcome," says Kelly.

Jacobs Vice President of Australia and New Zealand Operations Rich Hayers agrees, “Flexible working looks different to everyone and it needs to be flexible. By giving our people access to a wide range of tools, we hope they will find a solution that works for them.”