Good Gender Equality Practice in Employment

People should experience equality of opportunity during their ‘employee life cycle’ regardless of their sex/gender in relation to:

  • Recruitment & Selection
  • Promotion
  • Training
  • Key meetings
  • Non-offensive environments

Retaining staff of either sex/gender in employment ensures that an important skills base is not lost. 

The following are examples within the HE sector to help ensure that staff who have family related responsibilities are supported within the institution and also to help them succeed in their career:

  • Flexi-time: Involves employees working an agreed number of hours over a set period. Usually some core hours are agreed, with flexible start and finish times and the option of time off in lieu if more hours are worked.

  • Compressed hours: Working more hours in a shorter period, for instance working four long days instead of five shorter ones.

  • Staggered hours: Employees work fixed hours every day, but they can agree different start and finish times to suit their personal needs.

  • Annualised or seasonal hours: Employees work longer hours in busy periods and fewer hours at other times of the year/season.

  • Shift work: Typically covers a 24-hour period so staff work a shift pattern, such as two nights on, three days off, four days on. These patterns may vary from week to week.

  • Part-time work: Working reduced hours from the normal 9-5 day.

  • Job sharing two employees share the same job, with the work usually divided 50:50 so each employee works 2.5 days a week. Not all job shares are split evenly; eg some may work alternate weeks.

  • Term-time only: Employees work during school term-times only, and have the holidays off. Staff can be paid pro rata over the year or take the holidays as unpaid leave.

  • Temporary reduced hours: Reduced hours agreed on a temporary basis, for instance by mothers returning after maternity leave. The time period for reduced hours is usually agreed beforehand.

  • Consult and involve: Engaging with staff on periods of family related leave.

  • Discussion inclusion: Ensuring key meetings are held at times and days when staff can attend.

  • Home-working: Employees work from home because their job is suited to homeworking, or staff work flexibly and assess that some of their work can be done from home on specific occasions.

Note: The University as an Equal Opportunities employer has guidance relating to flexible working guidance, refer to the HR Flexible Working Policy on webpage: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/policy/hr