In June 2021, the new Flexible Working Bill  sponsored by Helen Whately, was introduced to parliament.  The Bill  proposes that all workers have a legal right to flexible working from day one of employment, rather than needing to have 26 weeks’ continuous service with an employer, as is currently the case.   

The Bill, if passed, would require employers to include in job advertisements what flexibility is available as well as offer flexible working arrangements in employment contracts. 

What constitutes flexible working?

Flexible working can take many forms and beyond part-time hours, the variety of flexibility has greatly increased given the last 16 months.   It’s no real surprise that it is likely to continue as we look to find a new way of normal on the back of the pandemic. 

With businesses changing the way in which they operate to adapt to changing customer needs and COVID-19, as well as improvements to UK infrastructure and improved technology, it means that you have many more options available to consider, including: 

    • Part time or split hours 

      This is where either the number of hours are reduced from a full-time equivalent or structured differently so they operate over fewer days or  different part-time patterns across the working day outside the traditional 9-5.30 core hours.

 

    • Compressed hours

      Full-time employees with compressed hours clock up the same amount of time in their working week as any other full-time member of staff, but over fewer days. They generally achieve this by starting earlier in the morning and finishing later at night, usually allowing them an extra day off work each week. This is hugely beneficial to employees who have other commitments on a certain working day but can’t afford, or don’t want, to go part-time. And it can prove particularly helpful in allowing parents and carers to maintain a full-time career.

 

    • Staggared hours

      Under this type of arrangement, an employee works the same days and number of hours as other members of staff, but with either different start and end times, or slightly different working times. This allows an employee to start and finish either earlier or later than their colleagues to fit around personal commitments. Employees don’t have to commit to core hours and can work the hours to suit their needs.

 

    • Flexi-time hours

      A common arrangement in which employees work ‘core hours’, but can choose their own start and finish times on a flexible daily basis. The benefits for employees are that on occasions they require a later start or earlier finish for appointments, this can be accommodated without them having to take time off. The ‘core hours’ are essential for ensuring employees are working together at set times and available for important meetings.

 

    • Remote or Hybrid working

      Remote working involves employees undertaking all or some of their work away from the office. Hybrid working can take several forms.  It could be that the role is fully remote with either the home or even another location within the UK being the base.  Or it could be where the main location for working is remote with occasional attendance in the office, or the primary place of work is the office, but remote working is allowed.

 

    • Term-time working

      Working hours that cover term time only or are reduced in school holidays; thus, allowing more working parents to have a greater work life balance and be available to care for their dependants.

 

    • Self-rostering/ Annualised hours

      Permitting the employee to manage their own hours of work based around their personal needs, but also against a work roster that has been devised to ensure business needs are met too.

      Annualised  hours means an employee’s hours are set for the year, but there is a level of flexibility regarding when those hours are worked. Under this type of arrangement, employees can work over weekends with time off midweek, or do overtime and claim it back as annual leave. This is beneficial to employees who want additional days of annual leave without making a salary sacrifice.

 

    • Job share

      Recruiting two or more people to carry out the one role to enable part-time working.

 

  • 4 day working week for all!

    In 2020 there were calls for the UK to consider introducing a four-day working week to create a society of shorter working time, moving away from a traditional 8-hour working day, 5 days a week.  Whilst this may be radical, companies such as AWIN where I was formerly HR Director, have embraced this well with no apparent deteriment to clients or EBITDA.  Clearly this would be radical move to broad brush for the UK, but there is nothing to stop an organisation carefully considering whether this could benefit it, especially at a time when businesses need to re-build.  Studies show that productivity on Friday afternoons is at an alltime low.  If you can’t go the full hog, could you do no-meeting Fridays and finish a few hours earlier?

The benefits of flexible working?

For an employer, flexible working can bring many benefits.  Perhaps now, more than ever, flexible working can play a crucial role in helping businesses to rebuild as we learn to live with COVID-19.  We know that flexible working can lead to: 

  • Increased morale and employee engagement and goodwill
  • Promote a better work-life balance and reduce stress in the workplace
  • Improve productivity 
  • Improve your ability to recruit the best talent  
  • Aid employee retention, crucial at a time where businesses are going to want to hold on to their staff  
  • Allow your business to adapt and change to respond to changing needs post COVID-19 
  • Make your Company more diverse and inclusive by enabling you to access talent pools you would not have previously been able to access.  This in turn can lead to the sharing of differing views and experiences amongst your workforce which in turn can lead to greater creativity and productivity.  

Is flexible working a legal right?

The existing Flexible Working Regulations provide a statutory right for employees with at least 26 weeks continuous service with an organisation to request flexible working.  So, to some extent, there is a legal right, but it is only a legal right to ask and not to have.  Employers can, based on business grounds decline a request.   The new bill proposes to do away with the qualifying service requirement, so that should enable more employees at any stage of their employment to potentially benefit from improved access to flexible working.

If you would like help reviewing your flexible working policy and practice please get in touch on Hello@HROptimisation.co.uk, I would love to hear from you.

 

 

 

Hannah Powell