Know your rightsRequesting and enabling flexible working

THE FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO WORK:6 points to remember when employees ask to flex

OR:

Turning legal requirements… into positive outcomes!

1. THE RIGHT TO ASK

Anyone working in Great Britain* has the right to ask for flexible work arrangements… if they’ve been in the job at least 26 weeks.Waiting this long is a legal requirement.*The rules are different for Northern Ireland.

Of course, the employer doesn’t have to wait that long to offer them!

of managers linked profit growth to offering flexible working!

63%

If offering flexible working adds value to your

organisation… why not start the chat early?

The employer must consider such a request fairly. That doesn’t mean grant it.(Remember: they have the right to ask, not demand.)

The advisory service ACAS has published a guide for employers.

2. THE REQUIREMENT FOR REQUESTS IN WRITING

To keep the books straight, such requests must be in writing.The employee must mention it’s a statutory request. (i.e. they have a legal right to do so.)

It must include:

The change in arrangements

wanted

The date proposed for it to start

The expected effect on the

employer

It’s best if both parties are simple and direct.

“The ability to work from home during the 9am-5pm workday on Tuesdays and Fridays”.

“The option to work from outside the office one day each week.”

“The right to work from home on days client-facing work is not required.”

“The option to work from another location when working on X, Y, and Z.”

2a THE CHANGE

Employees want flexibility…

but just 6% of London job ads

offer it.

It can be “immediate”, “next financial year”, or “as needed”... but there must be a date.

If your employee’s unsure, why not suggest a trial period of 3 months?

2b THE DATE

How does granting the request affect the employee’s work?Be honest - and look for the positive.

(Flexible working can be win-win for all.)

2c THE EFFECT

Would avoiding an hour’s commute mean more work gets done?

Would being able to telecommute meet deadlines better?

Would technology like document and resource sharing help?

(Employers like solutions more than

problems. So do employees.)

3. THE EMPLOYER IS OBLIGED TO SET A MEETING

But before a formal meeting - try TALKING!Today’s knowledge work doesn’t have fixed boundaries, nor are jobs easily described.

A typical London worker saves his company £520 a year with flexible options!

An informal first meeting may mean a productive second one. (Especially with great communication and collaboration tech. Why not have a conference or video call?)

Finding the why of the employee’s request is more important than the what.

Understanding where each side is coming from can turn “employee rights” into

“employer benefits”!

Talk about the extra projects

you can handle with using today’s

technology.

Show how you can collaborate

with just as many people every day.

Demonstrate how BYOD laptop and

tablet can do it all securely.

4. RESPECT THE ROLE OF COLLEAGUES.

When meeting the employer to discuss, the employee is entitled to have someone there.Don’t treat it as employer-versus-employee. See the team as a team.

Again, explore how communication and collaboration software can turn the kitchen table into the head office.

5. RIGHTS IF IT’S A NO

There are 6m people working from home regularly across the UK.

Millennials, the fastest-growing workforce segment, want flexibility.

Secure and modern communication tools let almost anyone work efficiently outside office walls.

So refusing flexible working outright may put you on the wrong side of history.

of managers see a link between flexible working and better employee engagement.

72%

But if it’s a no, make sure reasons for it are understood. Are you losing people needlessly?

of new mothers fail to return to work if flexibility is not offered.

20%

Perhaps the employee’s not able to work unsupervised.

Perhaps they’ve had past disciplinary problems.

Or perhaps they need to realise someone who greets visitors or serves food can’t work from home!And answer them in writing.

6. THE RIGHT TO TRY AGAIN

If you refused a valuable employee the option last time, check what’s changed:

Employees can ask - and employers must respond - once in any 12-month period.

Have family circumstances changed? (A lot of great workers are lost to childcare)

Has the role of the worker evolved?(They may have taken on more tasks)

Are new technologies available and approved by IT?

It takes so much time to recruit and train workers today…

…that offering flexible working may retain their services longer.

IN BRIEF:

It’s an opportunity, not a concession.For the right employee, you’ll get

Recognising the legal rights and obligations around flexible working doesn’t have to be a drag.

More work output due to increased effectiveness

Higher employee engagement due to closer communication

Greater employee loyalty due to increased happiness

Want more, higher, greater? A major contributor to effective flexible and remote working is

whether technology supports your communication and collaboration

needs. Arkadin can help.

Takeaways

20% of one employee group never return to companies that don’t offer flexible working

72% of managers see profitable opportunities in offering flexible working

Over 20m employees in the UK have the right to ask for flexible working

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