A common question we receive, when we’re investigating flexible options for our clients is what is a Better Off Overall Test (BOOT)?
A Better Off Overall Test is a requirement when creating an individual flexibility agreement for employees. This tool is used to determine whether the proposed change to an employee’s terms and conditions of employment will leave the employee better off overall than they were before the change. For example, proposed changes to hours or pay against the minimum terms and conditions in the relevant award.
Introducing an unlimited annual leave policy to employees should be done in a clear and transparent manner taking into consideration the minimum requirements of the relevant award. This is a significant change and requires careful consideration and planning for any employer.
If implemented correctly, this is a great benefit to retain the current team and attract new people as well as demonstrating the trust you have for your employees.
As part of the secure jobs and better pay Fair Work Act (cth) amendments changes to flexible work take effect from the 6 June 2023. The scope of employees will widen to who can request for flexible working arrangements to:
According to the Human Capital Management Institute, companies that invested one dollar per employee into wellbeing initiatives outperformed their competitors and experienced a 12% gain in productivity. The 9-day fortnight is one of the latest wellbeing initiatives gaining popularity and may soon be the difference between keeping and losing the best performing staff.
As a mental health and overall productivity-enhancer, it’s hard to argue that we wouldn’t all be better off if we worked less. Recruitment and training costs reduce too, with less turnover of staff and fewer sick days taken.
