Despite the economic slowdown, the thirst for flexible working from employees in the UK appears insatiable. Large and small organisations are facing the apparent dichotomy of key people voting with their feet if they don’t get greater flexibility yet having to retain a continuity of service to colleagues and clients.

 

WHAT IS FLEXIBLE WORKING?

From our point of view it is a term that relates to the working arrangements offered that dictates working hours, working location and the general pattern of work.

 

WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development provide the following definitions:

  • Part-time working: Work is generally considered part-time when employers are contracted to work anything less than full-time hours.
  • Term-time working: A worker remains on a permanent contract but can take paid/unpaid leave during school holidays.
  • Job-sharing: A form of part-time working where two people (or occasionally more) share the responsibility for a job between them.
  • Flexitime: Allows employees to choose, within set limits, when to begin and end work.
  • Compressed hours: Compressed working weeks (or fortnights) don't necessarily involve a reduction in total hours or any extension in individual choice over which hours are worked. The central feature is reallocation of work into fewer and longer blocks during the week.
  • Annual hours: The period within which full-time employees must work is defined over a whole year.
  • Home working/mobile working/teleworking: IS when employees are permitted to work all or part of their working week at a location remote from the employer's main workplace.
  • Career breaks: Career breaks, or sabbaticals, are extended periods of leave – normally unpaid – of up to five years or more.

 

WHAT ARE THE TRENDS?

Employees with family commitments are increasingly looking to work for an employer that provides flexible working. With modern communication technology (such as fast home and mobile broadband, Skype telephones and Blackberries,) plus the need to be available on an international basis, work and home continue to collide and the boundaries blur.

It is not just for people juggling the demands of children. The increasingly common need for people to work beyond the traditional retirement age highlights the importance of flexibility in keeping individuals motivated and enthusiastic about their jobs. Staff happy with their work-life balance can be exceptionally loyal as they know it would be difficult to move to another job with the same freedoms which makes them appreciate the benefits of their employment.

The end of the ‘9-5, Monday-Friday’ has coincided with the end of the ‘job for life’ so workers frequently have at least one eye on the next opportunity. If businesses continue to ignore this phenomenon they will ultimately suffer from high levels of attrition and poor motivation. Pressure is building for all employees (not just those with school age children) to have the right to request flexible working, which may be used for people to care for older relatives or partaking in a favourite hobby when the weather is good.


HOW DO WE COMPARE TO OVERSEAS?

A recent study revealed that the UK lags behind our European neighbours in offering flexible working as we emerge kicking and screaming from a culture of long and fixed hours, resistance to change, management by observation and ‘presenteeism’. Nine out of ten employers quizzed in mainland Europe offered flexitime, compared with just 48% in the UK. In addition, only one in five UK employers give staff the chance to work remote from the office, compared to nearly half in Denmark and Germany.

 

The New Zealand Government has produced two employee toolkits offering advice on flexible working - one for small/medium sized workplaces and the other for larger organisations. Their website contains a number of best practice examples showcasing employers who have reaped the benefits of flexible working, with an emphasis on the two-way street that is a relationship based on trust and commitment.


WHICH DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLEXIBLE WORKER EXIST?

According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission there are four types of flexible worker:

  • Timelords: People such as writers and researchers who largely control their own hours
  • Time-stretchers: Those who control their own hours such as plumbers and life coaches
  • Shift-shapers: Workers with shift patterns such as fire-fighters and care home workers
  • Remote controllers: Individuals with the autonomy to work from various locations but for set hours in the day.

MOBILE AND HOME WORKING

Allowing flexible working creates a level of insulation from competitors poaching the very best employees, because there is the immediate consideration that a similar arrangement is unlikely to be forthcoming from the new employer, at least initially. Studies show that eating with the family and being at home when parcels are delivered or tradespeople need access is a huge benefit.
However, flexible working can come with a cost and the following costs need to be taken into account:

  • Equipment such as a computer and a high-speed broadband connection to a home office
  • Technical support for the home office equipment and off-site equipment
  • Insurance cover
  • Furnishings for the home office and for the off-site location

More forward-thinking employers recognise that networking and career development opportunities need to exist, and regular communication minimises the feelings of isolation. Out of sight should not mean out of mind when the next step up the corporate ladder becomes available.


WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND WORKING HOURS

In the past I worked for an old-school Director, who used to sneer “Don’t forget to tape Neighbours for me” at anyone who had the audacity to leave on time. The long hours he used to work, without any discernible effect on his productivity, were worn like a badge of honour and his commitment to the cause was exemplified by how rarely he was home to see his three sons before bedtime. Did it do him any good? He was asked to leave last year!

 

If long hours are needed to get the job done, a day of reduced hours should follow to show a balance in commitment to work and home life. Today, recruitment in a tough and competitive market is easier as people are attracted by the opportunity to have a healthy work-life balance.


COMMUTING

Petrol price hikes are leading to more people commuting by bike, but how many opted for the zero commute option? The answer is …quite a lot.


Putting the financial implications to one side, extra time available for work activities, the impact on the environment and the reduction in levels of stress is enormous. The Energy Saving Trust has calculated that if every business motorist left their car at home one day a week, it would reduce national CO2 emissions by 1%.

 

With congestion charging being proposed for Manchester, commuters who have to drive are being encouraged to travel outside peak hours. Those who travel by train are making better use of their time, with wi-fi internet access being used as an important marketing tool amongst train operators.

 

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?

To attract and retain the very best talent, a transparent flexible working scheme should be available to all rather than the application of ad hoc measures being agreed with individual employees on a case-by-case basis. Part of this process should involve clear communication with the option of consultation if required.


Enquiries should be made with local transport authorities, gym owners and providers of childcare services to obtain off-peak discounts.

 

WHO IS LEADING THE WAY?

To attract and retain the very best talent, a transparent flexible working scheme should be available to all rather than the application of ad hoc measures being agreed with individual employees on a case-by-case basis. Part of this process should involve clear communication with the option of consultation if required.
Enquiries should be made with local transport authorities, gym owners and providers of childcare services to obtain off-peak discounts.


WHO IS LEADING THE WAY?
At Fluid we pride ourselves on our extensive library of research and case studies from around the world. We specialise in being able to adapt what has worked well elsewhere to suit the culture and budget of our clients. Many examples exist and figures vary from sector to sector, for example one law firm employs a total of 407 fee-earners, and 153 are no longer working traditional nine to five hours. This is the equivalent of 38 per cent of the workforce.


AND FINALLY, WHAT ABOUT THE EMPLOYER?
Considerable evidence exists that a flexible and trusting attitude to working hours results in a productive and refreshed workforce. Most people work hard every hour they are at work, some choosing to come in early when it is quiet, whilst others have the equipment provided so they can check their emails in the evening after a day out in meetings, saving them time when they come back on the next day.

Absenteeism is reduced as people feeling slightly unwell are less inclined to ‘throw a sickie’ if they do not have to travel to the office.

People who are allowed to work from home tend to work harder, certainly initially because they are anxious to defend what they usually see as a privilege and will be aware that their employers will be on the look-out for any sign of slacking.

Also, evidence suggests that because the distinction between home and work is blurred and, in a physical sense work is ever present, employees tend to work beyond normal hours.
However, some employers state that it can be difficult to manage home workers and to maintain team spirit and there can also be security issues around information technology whilst there are of course some jobs that are unsuitable for home working.

IN SUMMARY……

Flexible working is not going to go away and must be utilised as a principal piece of artillery in the ongoing war on talent.

Anti-bullying policy statements
 

Do

  • Do provide examples of what constitutes harassment, bullying and intimidating behaviour - it is also useful to define positive and supportive behaviours.
Top ten reasons to introduce flexible benefits
 

1. Greater personal choice attracts applicants that may not have applied previously.

2. Greater personal choice retains employees who may have resigned otherwise.