Put a flexible work policy in writing before inconsistencies creep in

A generic policy can create trouble when it says one thing but managers do another. That can lead to inconsistent decisions, unclear expectations about availability or supervision, and confusion about who can work remotely, vary hours or change locations. It may also sit awkwardly with your employment agreements, handbook or operational needs. The practical working model can be just as important as the contract wording, so a policy should reflect how requests are really assessed and what your business can reasonably support.

It often covers who can request flexible arrangements, how requests should be made, what factors the business may consider, how decisions are communicated, and what expectations apply if a request is approved. Depending on the workplace, it may also deal with remote work locations, hours of availability, communication standards, equipment, confidentiality, health and safety touchpoints, performance expectations and review periods. The content should line up with your existing employment documents and the way managers are expected to apply the policy in practice.

We look at the type of flexibility you actually offer or are considering, such as hybrid work, remote work, varied start and finish times, compressed hours or ad hoc arrangements. We also consider how your team is supervised, whether roles are customer-facing, what existing contracts say, and whether there are operational limits on when and where work can be done. That matters because the right approach depends on the working arrangement, documents and the factual context, not just a standard policy template.

It can help clarify internal expectations, but it is not a substitute for getting the underlying engagement model right. If your business uses a mix of employees and contractors, the policy needs to be consistent with those arrangements and should not blur important distinctions. For example, a policy written as though everyone is managed in the same way can create confusion if some people are genuinely independent contractors. If worker classification issues come up, we may recommend separate advice or additional documents beyond this service.

Usually not by itself. This service is for putting the policy document in place or updating it, not for running a live employment dispute or representing you in a contested matter. If there is already a complaint about a declined request, inconsistent treatment or a breakdown in working arrangements, you may need separate legal advice on that issue. We can still draft the policy, but ongoing representation, dispute handling and ongoing HR management are outside the fixed-fee and would need separate scoping.

Submit an enquiry on this page or click 'Get started'. One of our legal consultants will review it within 1 business day and get in touch to understand what you need.

Your consultant will then email you a fixed-fee quote setting out the cost, scope and timing. If you're happy with it, you can accept the quote and sign our engagement letter online.

Once you've accepted, one of our Australian-qualified lawyers will work with you to complete your project. They'll contact you by email or phone if they need anything.

Sprintlaw works on fixed-fee pricing wherever possible, so you can review the scope and cost before you decide whether to proceed. For the Flexible Work Policy service, pricing starts from $900.00.

After you enquire, a legal consultant will confirm what is included, the expected timing and whether any extra work is needed before you engage us.

We work online, so we can help wherever you are in New Zealand. Our team works remotely, mainly from Australia.

Your work is done by our Australian-qualified lawyers, who hold Australian practising certificates and specialise in business law. None of them are New Zealand lawyers or hold a New Zealand practising certificate.

Sprintlaw NZ Limited is a legal consultancy, not a law firm, and is not regulated by the New Zealand Law Society. We don't act in court or tribunal matters, conveyancing (including leases and business sales) or other reserved areas of work. Communications with Sprintlaw are unlikely to be protected by legal professional privilege. We still keep everything confidential under our engagement letter.