How to ensure flexible working works for employers and employees
Employees have gained new flexible working rights this year and the Labour government are set to outlay plans to expand those rights further.
For employers struggling to accommodate their employees’ requests, the Centre for Ageing Better’s Employer Engagement and Network Manager John Kiernan has some sage advice.
Since April, workers have the right to ask for flexible working as soon as they start a job – and employers have obligations to consult with their employee regarding the request in a timely fashion.
It is anticipated that the government will put a new Employment Rights bill before Parliament this autumn which could make flexible working a "default" entitlement for all employees, alongside measures to support workers looking to work compressed hours.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has argued that flexible working creates a more productive and loyal workforce, and it is hugely popular with employees – it has been cited by older workers as the number one workplace practice that would encourage them to return to work and help them keeping working for longer.
But with some employers seemingly pushing back on flexible working options, notably Amazon’s decision to mandate all employees back to office five days a week from next year, is there a risk of flashpoints between employers and employees over flexible working requests?
As the founders of the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, a nationwide programme for UK employers who recognise the importance and value of older workers, we are in regular dialogue with employers looking for insights on how they can be flexible around flexible working.
We understand the demands placed on employers, and recognise that sometimes there must be compromise on both sides. No two workplaces are the same, but there is general guidance and good practice around flexible working which we think employers of all sizes and sectors can follow.
As part of the information we make available to signers of the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, we have created a new flexible working masterclass FAQs document with flexible working specialists Timewise to help employers navigate the common challenges and opportunities around flexible working and set out how to maximise the benefits for employers and employees.
Flexible working was virtually non-existent a few decades ago, but it’s now commonplace, so it’s in everyone’s interest, both employers and employees, to know as much about the topic as possible.
Here are five of the most common challenges around flexible working and the ways that employers can help manage them.
Q: How can businesses with a lot of frontline workers and a need to provide a 24/7 onsite service embrace flexible working?
A: The reality is that remote working is impossible for some roles, and staff must be onsite. Nurses, construction workers, store assistants, teachers, to name just some examples, fall into this category. But a designated location is only one form of flexibility, and you can always discuss, for example, shift patterns and whether it’s possible for staff to work less than full-time hours. Onsite workers will find these time-related flexible options valuable.
Q: How to find a solution satisfying everyone if a team has very mixed views on how much they want to work from home?
A: It’s a good idea to organise a session to work things out and see where team activities best get done. You can then agree as a team how often it makes sense to be onsite. If some workers want to come into the office more, then that will be down to personal choice, rather than an essential team need. The session can help work out what needs to be done in the office/in-person, and what can be done remotely.
Q: How to encourage a greater uptake amongst groups of older workers who are less inclined to seek part-time or flexible working?
A: It is important to make it clear that flexible working can apply to everyone, especially to older workers. Some employees form assumptions that flexibility is primarily for women, or that it’s not possible for manual roles.
Your internal communications, policies, and in-person conversations should make it clear that flexible working isn’t confined to one group. Showcase examples of men working flexibly in your own organisation and elsewhere and specify the types of flexibility that would work well in manual roles.
Q: As an organisation that offers so much flexibility, how can we help ensure that flexibility is reciprocated by employees around training etc?
A: It may be helpful when planning training to ask employees what the best options would be for times and location so that they feel they have input into their working patterns.
It’s also worth explaining that even though you will try to accommodate as many people’s needs as possible, you’ll also need their support to be flexible with their working arrangements. Training is vital for the organisation and individual, so there must be give and take.
Q: How to persuade flexible working sceptics within an organisation of its merits?
A: Try using an evidence-based approach to your suggestions. How might a reluctance to embrace working from home and other means of flexible working impact business performance as well as your people’s KPIs – turnover, engagement, health and safety data, sickness, and wellbeing?
It’s also worth bearing in mind that a potential new candidate may turn down a role because there is no flexibility, or another employee may resign and start with a competitor who is more flexible. It’s a great loss when talent goes elsewhere.
