By now, you may likely have come across some form of flexible working, whether it be something as a company you are actively promoting or has come to your attention via an employee request.
The aim of flexible working is to aid an employee’s needs and support their work/life balance and this can come in all shapes and sizes!
The most common forms consist of:
- Job Sharing: This is where more than one person does one job and split the hours.
- Work from home: Carrying out your role from a location other than the office.
- Part-time: Working less than full-time, this can either be in terms of the number of days worked per week or the number of hours worked per day.
- Compressed hours: This involves working full-time hours but across fewer days per week. Where this is the case, it may not be advisable to pro rata annual leave entitlement.
- Flexitime: Having flexibility over your start and finish times but adhering to core hours e.g., 10 am to 4 pm, and your contracted hours of work.
- Staggered hours: Working different start, finish, and/or break times than other employees.
As a business, you may not be able to accommodate all requests for flexible working, but we would advise that all requests are considered fully, thoroughly and in line with the Acas Code of Practice.
There are many benefits to flexible working for both employees and employers, including:
- Reducing stress and burnout.
- Boosting productivity!
- Increasing job satisfaction and retention.
- Attracting top talent to the business.
- Promoting a healthy work/life balance.
- Supporting employee wellness.
Taking all these potential benefits into account and with the right approach for the organisation and workforce, it is clear flexible working arrangements can be hugely beneficial for both parties.
Of course, flexible working doesn’t work for all companies and to work effectively it does need to work for the employer and employee and both need to see its value. If you would like to discuss further how flexible working could work for you and your team, and how you could launch it, then please get in touch today. Contact us at hello@hrrevolution.co.uk.
