Malta updates public service work practices to promote work-life balance

The Government of Malta, one of the top 10 exemplars of digital government according to the United Nations, has introduced a range of new work practices within the Public Service to bolster flexibility and promote work-life balance. 

Principal Permanent Secretary Tony Sultana announced that, following a consultation process with leaders in the Public Service and Unions, work practices including reduced hours, flexi-time, flexi-week and remote working will be structured to accommodate for today's realities. 

The new work practices policies are as follows: 

• The reduced hours system has been updated so that public officers can apply to work reduced hours without the need of eligibility criteria where work service and prioritisation permit.
  
• The practice of flexi-time will be introduced, allowing public officers to adjust their working hours up to two hours before or after the established working times.
  
• The flexi-week concept has been changed so that public officers will be able to request to spread the 40 hours of work over four or six days a week.
  
• Remote working measures are being adopted, enabling staff to request up to 20% of working hours to be done remotely without the need of any eligibility criteria.

These changes come into effect from 3rd  April 2023, with a transition period until 15th June 2023. This is the initial phase of the modernisation process. 

“The Public Service is giving the public officer more flexibility with less bureaucracy, in an accountable, structured and efficient way. This strengthens the Public Service's credentials as a model employer, with the most relevant practices that lead to work-life balance in our country,” Sultana said.