Embracing flexible working

In an increasingly digital world, where managing work-life balance is more complex than ever, flexible work has become a fundamental part of the modern workplace – gone are the days of rigid schedules where employees are constrained to ‘nine to five’ routine.

By Christine Hart, senior associate, Brabners

Thanks to the introduction of the 2014 Flexible Working Regulations, all employees with 26 weeks' service have the right to request a change to their hours, timing or location of work, with popular options including job sharing and remote working, as well as flexi-time and compressed hours.

Around three-quarters of UK employees claim that flexible working benefits would make a job more appealing, and nearly a third would prefer the opportunity to work flexibly than a pay rise. Offering employees increased control over their schedule and the flexibility to meet their personal needs can also help to boost their productivity, concentration and wellbeing.

As well as allowing parents and those with caring responsibilities to juggle work and family life effectively, flexible working patterns can also enable employees with a disability or long-term health condition to set realistic and manageable schedules, which can help to minimise stress.

All these factors have the potential to improve your employees’ engagement, motivation and loyalty whilst reducing absenteeism and sick leave. But to ensure your business reaps the rewards, it’s crucial to keep the lines of communication open, honest and professional so that the system operates for the benefit of everyone.

A lack of face-to-face contact with colleagues in the office can often lead to employees feeling isolated, as well as potentially impacting team cohesion and the exchange of ideas. It is also common for employees to feel there is no longer a clear delineation between work and home life due to a lack of structure in their work day. Investing in collaboration tools, including videoconferencing equipment and cloud services, is a great first step in ensuring that employees can still play an active role in meetings, communicate with their managers and collaborate on projects, just as they would normally do. Once you have the infrastructure in place, engaging the support of an employment lawyer will help you to begin drawing up the flexible working policies that will, ultimately, make the transition to a happier more productive environment smoother for everyone.