Agriculture Ministry adopts hybrid work policy for 30% of staff



AMMAN — The Ministry of Agriculture has opted for the hybrid work system, a mix of in-person and online work, gearing towards improved productivity.

“The ministry has applied flexible hybrid working arrangements starting this month, which includes 30 per cent of employees,” according to the ministry’s spokesperson Lawrence Majali.

Majali told The Jordan Times on Tuesday, that supervisory and administrative positions are exempt from the decision, as these positions require employees to be physically present in the office. 

 “There will be a more accurate evaluation of this experience by the end of the current month, and all details will be shared with media outlets,” he noted.
The ministry’s performance has not been affected, Majali added. 

“On the contrary, performance indicators continue to grow and what has assisted the ministry in introducing this arrangement is the ministry’s electronic system through which a large part of services and transactions are done,” the spokesperson said.

Applying flexible working hours leads to greater productivity and an improved work culture, also empowering women in the workforce, particularly those who have family obligations, Director of the Phenix Centre for Economics and Informatics Studies (PCEIS) Ahmad Awad, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

“Any move towards implementing a flexible working schedule is considered a positive step forward,” Awad said, adding that employees do not have to commute to the office every day to work.

Many enterprises in the local private sector, particularly those involved in programming, research and technology, have already implemented the hybrid system, which has led to a multitude of benefits and progress, Awad said.
“We hope that this step will be introduced in other ministries and governmental entities,” he added.