​HR word of the day – Workplace flexibility 
Flexibility in organization can be viewed in two main ways – flexibility for organisations and flexibility for individuals. Alis et al (2006) have made the distinction between flexibility of and flexibility for employees. The first of these is where organisations look for flexibility in the way in which they utilities the labour so that they can match the supply with their need for labour more closely. This need to manage labour in flexible ways stems from an increasingly competitive business environment, where employers need to manage labour related costs as efficiently as possible. 
Individual, by contrast, look for flexibility in the way in which they work in order to help them achieve an acceptable relationship between work and non-work activities. Interest in achieving a work-life balance is as a result of social change, both in relation to the way in which work is considered and as a result of increased rates of parents, particularly mothers in paid employment. 
Workplace flexibility involves changes to the amount, timing and/or location of work and may also involve different organisations. It may be designed to meet the needs of employers or employees