Most people can relate to the unspoken rule of the work place, which is that working longer hours in the office represents how productive you are. It is not uncommon for people to still say ‘working from home is not really working’. Granted there may be some roles that require a rigid work pattern, however many and increasingly more sectors are embracing the need for employers and employees to work in a more flexible way, making the best use of resources and time.

Flexible working has been around for some time, however it still has stigma attached and often this can hold back – people asking for it within their work place. Why is this still the case in May 2016 years after the legislation was implemented to favour flexible working?

Who has the right to request flexible working?

Anyone that is an employee with 26 weeks of continuous employment at the time you make your application. As a result of this request you have the right to be treated equally, not to be treated badly or less favourably or dismissed as a result of the request.

What do we mean by flexible working?

Types of flexible working

There are many ways of working flexibly. Usually flexible working is considered as everything that isn’t full-time -.
This could include:

• Part-time
• Reduced hours
• Term Time
• Job Sharing
• Freelance/Contracting
• Remote working
• Compressed hours
• Zero hours

Flexible working is on the rise and more importantly is becoming more accepted and the future for a lot of people. The ability to work when and where boasts major advantages to both the individuals and employers. For the individual it can make a noticeable difference to their work life balance, hugely important for working parents. Employers will benefit from knowing their staff are happier, healthier and more productive. It can help take out some of the costs and time for commuting, helps to manage caring responsibilities and leaves more time to pursue out of work hobbies and interests and boosts morale. Employers benefit from having motivated trusted and loyal members in their teams; you can see why this is all positive?

According to CIPD, Survey on Employees view on working life, April 2016, ‘people who use flexible working options are some way more likely to say they are satisfied (60%) with their jobs than those that don’t work flexibly (53%) and less likely to be dissatisfied (18% compared with 25%).

So why the slow uptake?

With effect from 30 June 2014 the Flexible Working Regulations were amended. Unfortunately the uptake of flexible working is very gradual. There are still barriers, which are proving to be ‘getting in the way’. For some its merely not relevant to the nature of their work or industry so those options are already limited. In some cases it’s the negative attitude of senior managers, line managers and generally the ‘decision makers’, who think flexible working is for ‘slackers’. In some cases its the resilience to move with the times and accept that times are changing and as a result so are staff dynamics in many organisations. All these contribute to a slow uptake of a way of working that would benefit most people.

Although legislative changes are contributing to an increase in flexible working requests, they are however, not significant changes. Conversation and discussions as a result of the legislation seem to be much more acceptable however conversations and discussions are simply not enough. To accept the benefits of moving towards a more modern and flexible way of working we need more than legislation and policies within the work place. We need a change in attitudes and more innovative ways of incorporating flexible working. Addressing this will open up more opportunities and only then will we see real changes, real numbers increasing and really see- the benefits of working flexibly.

Career-mums can help you open up and explore new opportunities for flexible working. Knowing your possibilities is just the beginning’ Contact us on 0121 717 4728