Staff and students are reaping the benefits of a nine-day face-to-face fortnight trialled earlier this year at Melton Secondary College.
A number of current full time employees were offered the option of one full day or two half days working from home as part of the trial.
Said staff have described the arrangement as ‘significantly improving their wellbeing’ and ‘giving them a valuable opportunity to get more admin work completed’.
One staff member said their mental health and confidence had improved as a result of the nine-day face-to- face fortnight.
What does this mean for staff?
This model shows the school’s value in prioritising flexible work arrangements and family friendly work practices to maintain a diverse, adaptive and high performing workforce.
It allows staff to focus on their work responsibilities in a more modular and focused way, and has been particularly successful for school leaders and office staff.
“A large part of my day involves connecting one on one with staff members and being available to meet with them and address any concerns or offer guidance,” Jeanette Geary, MSC’s Human Resources Business Manager said.
“My work from home day allows me to focus with minimal interruptions on important administrative tasks that are within my portfolio, while still being available for our staff.”
“The day also has a huge impact on my work life balance and wellbeing,” Ms Geary continued.
“A day from home allows me to prioritise and refocus on my week and to have that opportunity to have a break from the normal morning rush and commute.”
“It’s been a positive experience which I am keen to further explore next year.”
What about students?
49 of 200 staff members participated in the nine-day face-to-face fortnight trial, 40 of those were teachers.
There may be a perception that the arrangement prevents staff from teaching extra classes, but that hasn’t been the case.
All staff have been able to be fully utilised for replacement classes across each fortnight, therefore not impacting student learning.
The nine-day face-to-face fortnight is only available to staff members who can perform work duties within their role description offsite.
And if a whole day with no face-to-face duties is not possible, two half days will be allocated. If neither are available, the arrangement won’t take place.
Staff are also contactable during their offsite days as normal.
“Having a work-from-home day to look forward to is often what gets me through the challenging days,” one staff member said.
“My students benefit from me having that space to reflect and refocus.”
Is this likely to be an ongoing arrangement?
Staff members eligible to participate in the trial worked within the constraints of the timetabling priorities set by the Principal.
A review of the trial commenced in Term 3, and if successful, staff may expect the nine-day face-to-face fortnight to expand in 2025.