Workplace flexibility has become increasingly common in recent years. This has been particularly true since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many organizations offer workers choices on how, when, and where to work. These practices support and attract many workers with disabilities. As organizations decide whether to make flexible workplace practices permanent, it is important to make sure that these practices are accessible, sustainable, and equitable.
This page and the linked resources will help you understand:
Who benefits from a flexible workplace
Types of workplace flexibility
Considerations for employers when making workplaces flexible
Who Benefits?
Workplace flexibility benefits people with and without disabilities. However, many people with disabilities have found flexible workplaces particularly beneficial.
Benefits include the ability to:
Accommodate transportation needs
Protect oneself from illness or pathogens
Take breaks as needed, including time to take part in wellness activities
Control one’s workspace and work pace to increase productivity and well-being
Seek work in a larger geographic area due to remote work opportunities
These flexibilities also benefit workers without disabilities. For example, flexible schedules help parents and caregivers balance work and care needs.
Types of Workplace Flexibility
Workplace flexibility is not a "one-size-fits-all" matter. Different benefits require different practices that address the how, where, and when work gets done.
Flexibility can be in time, place, or manner of work:
Time, or when work gets done. Your workplace can offer flexible work schedules, time blocks for arrival and departure, or options to redistribute work hours throughout the day or week. You can learn more in the “Schedules and Flexibility” section of this page.
Place, or where work gets done. Flexible workplaces may allow some or all workers to work remotely some or all of the time. Hybrid workplaces allow for a mix of in-person and remote work; workers can have different patterns depending on their needs. You can learn more from EARN’s brief on disability-inclusive hybrid work models.
Manner, or how work gets done. A flexible workplace may allow workers to use a different process to achieve a task or allow a job to be tailored to a person’s strengths. This may mean, for example, that workers use new technologies to effectively complete their work.
Employees will request different types of flexibilities in the time, place, and manner of their work. For example, an employee who teleworks may not need a schedule change, but alternate processes instead. Similarly, a flexible schedule may make in-person work more accessible and less burdensome for some workers.
Considerations for Employers
Be sure all employees are made aware of any updates to your organization’s policies, including workplace flexibility. If your employees are aware of the most current options available to them, such as remote work, flexible hours, and job sharing, then they are more likely to use those that increase their productivity. There are several areas highlighted below where employers can consider workplace flexibility.
Employees with disabilities may need workplace flexibility as a reasonable accommodation. Telework and alternate schedules are common accommodations. These practices can help employees meet specific access needs, and may be covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
Some common telework accommodations include providing assistive technology, relying on specific software and communication methods, written directions and assignments, and alternate work schedules.
Alternate schedules for employees are a common form of workplace flexibility. Employees may work different hours, two separate periods in one workday, or only some days of the week. These schedules allow employees to attend to their own needs or the needs of those under their care. Alternate schedules may also allow an employee to secure transportation to and from work, and thus work in-person.
Alternate schedules work best when responsibilities, tasks, and contacts are clear. If you offer this kind of flexibility, be sure employees know:
How you will assess their performance
How to show their work and progress on tasks
Any specific information or tools needed to complete tasks
Who to contact for support when their supervisor and/or colleagues are not available
Many employers also have “core hours”–times when all staff, or staff in certain roles, must be available in-person or remotely. You may use these times for important meetings or for collaborative tasks which require the input of many people.
Employees will need appropriate technology to work remotely or work with colleagues who are not onsite. Have a standard process to provide employees with the technology they need for their situation–onsite, hybrid, or remote. Choose technologies that match your organization’s needs. For example, a hybrid office may need a video-conferencing system, or employees working remotely may need work cell phones. Ensure that the technology you choose is accessible for people with disabilities, too.
You can learn more about accessible technology from Section508.gov, a resource from the General Services Administration (GSA).
When implementing workplace flexibility or new technology, you may need to update your other policies and practices. For example, your meeting practices may need to change to allow remote attendees to participate, or employees may need different ways of knowing who is available, and when. Standardize these processes and review them regularly to make sure they are working in the context of your flexible workplace. Use common tools, like calendars and project management software, to make your processes usable by employees in different locations and at different times.
EARN offers these checklists on accessible meetings that can help you build flexible and inclusive meeting practices:
As technology continues to evolve, be prepared to address new considerations and update systems, policies, and procedures accordingly. Ensure that any new tools or platforms being used for remote work or other work-related tasks are fully accessible for employees with disabilities.
Remote and in-person supervision often require different communication methods and cues. For example, as workplace flexibility increases, supervisors’ and employees’ schedules often differ. It is important that both remote and in-person employees receive the same information they need to do the job effectively.
Consider ways to equitably measure and support performance as you implement workplace flexibility. Provide clear metrics to help all employees identify what they need to do to meet expectations. Supervisors should support all employees with routine check-ins, whether in-person or through technology, to ensure there are no concerns or unanswered questions about expectations.
Standard procedures to assess and manage performance can help. Be sure to design these procedures to meet the needs of in-person, hybrid, and remote workers. For example, there may be an increased need for written, rather than spoken, communication as workplace flexibility increases.
EARN’s guide to Performance Management can help you effectively and fairly manage your employees, wherever, whenever, and however they work.
Some employers use artificial intelligence to monitor employees as they work. This practice can cause legal issues and create barriers for workers with disabilities and members of other communities. PEAT’s toolkit on surveillance explains these barriers and offers alternatives and methods to ensure equity.
Issue Briefs
Several topics intersect in specific ways with workplace flexibility. Learn more from these EARN issue briefs:
