Updated Flexible Working Regulations

The new regulations on flexible working came into place in the UK on the 6th of April this year; employees now have the legal right to request flexible working from day one in a new job. Previously the regulations only applied when someone had worked for their employer for 26 weeks or more. These changes aim to allow employees to balance work with other aspects of life.

Flexible working involves changing when, where, or how an employee works, and it can benefit both parties in various ways. For employees, it offers the opportunity to achieve a better work-life balance, improve health and well-being, and access more job opportunities. Employers can benefit from flexible working by attracting and retaining staff, increasing productivity, maintaining employee satisfaction, filling difficult-to-fill positions, and enhancing diversity and inclusivity.

Different types of flexible working arrangements can be agreed upon between employees and employers, such as part-time hours, staggered hours, remote working, hybrid working, flexitime, job sharing, compressed hours, annualised hours, term-time working, and team-based rostering. These arrangements allow for adjustments in work schedules, locations, and hours worked, providing flexibility to accommodate individual needs and preferences.

To enable the successful implementation of flexible working, it is essential for employers to have a well-defined policy in place. A flexible working policy helps facilitate consistent discussions and agreements between managers and employees regarding flexible working arrangements. This ensures transparency and fairness in the process of making and considering requests for flexible working.

Embracing flexible working practices will certainly help firms with their recruitment, and ultimately lead to a more satisfied and productive workforce, whilst meeting the evolving needs of employees and employers alike.

For more information about creating your policy check out the Acas resources here: https://www.acas.org.uk/statutory-flexible-working-requests/having-a-policy

The Acas Code of Practice on making and handling statutory requests for flexible working can be found here: https://www.acas.org.uk/statutory-flexible-working-requests