Flexible working policy in employment handbooks: a legal and family perspective. The world of work is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. Flexible working has gone from being a fringe benefit to becoming a fundamental pillar in job descriptions in many industries. In the face of changing technologies and workforce expectations, it’s essential that employment handbooks are up to date.
Employers need to prioritise incorporating flexible work policies into employee handbooks. But it’s more than just a business benefit or legislative requirement. Flexible working can also support and impact those who are dealing with family life pressures such as childcare, separation, divorce or other challenges.
Why does flexible working matter?
Flexible working is an umbrella term that encompasses all the various ways in which an individual employee might be allowed a degree of choice in their working arrangements. This could be working from home (remote working), a combination of home and office (hybrid working), condensing a five day week into four (compressed hours), two people sharing a role (job share), working an annualised number of hours (annualised hours), or having a degree of choice about starting and finishing times (flexitime).
While the permutations and labels will be different from business to business, the underlying principle is the same: flexible working is about giving staff a measure of choice over where they work, when they work, and how they work.
The business benefits of flexible working are well documented, and include:
- Increased staff retention
- Decreased absenteeism
- Wider talent pools to recruit from
- Increased staff morale and engagement
Flexible working is also important to employees themselves, in allowing them to maintain employment while meeting their family or personal commitments. Flexible working can also help employees to achieve a better work-life balance and feel less stressed.
UK legal requirements
In the UK, as of the time of writing, staff who have worked with their current employer for a minimum of 26 weeks have a statutory right to request flexible working, and a “day one” right to request flexible working is planned for the near future. Requests must be considered in a reasonable manner, and there is a specified time in which an employer must respond to requests.
Employers updating their employment handbook should be clear in their flexible working policies on:
- Eligibility and application process
- Timeframes for responding to requests
- Criteria used to assess requests
- Trial periods
- Appeals process
- Equality and discrimination
Employers should aim to apply their flexible working policies consistently to all staff, in order to avoid potential claims of discrimination. This last point is important to note as family issues such as childcare often fall within the ambit of sex discrimination law.
Where family life collides with working life
The reasons for which flexible working might be requested are often family related. Parents may wish to change their hours in order to fit around school runs, nursery opening times or child care responsibilities. A partner moving out of the family home, a divorce or a separation could lead to an employee having to respond to new childcare arrangements for children. An elderly parent may need care, or another family member might suffer a period of ill-health that they need to support.
In most cases these are significant life events which are likely to affect an employee’s availability, focus or well-being. A supportive and flexible employer can be a real benefit to these individuals, both from a personal perspective and to maintain team stability.
Family life in the handbook
Handbooks should not just make provisions for the mechanics of requesting flexible working arrangements. They should also be cognisant of the sorts of circumstances for which employees might require flexibility and which are often intertwined with their family life. Of course, employers do not wish to pry into personal details. The following steps can be taken instead:
Flexible working arrangements, temporary or otherwise, can be made available to those undergoing significant life events.
An open-door policy can be encouraged towards line managers and HR staff, with confidentiality assured.
Handbooks can also signpost to external sources of support and guidance, such as legal advisors or counselling services.
A commitment to fairly and non-discriminatorily consider requests.
By specifically acknowledging in policies that family related and life-changing circumstances exist, and that they are taken seriously, employers give the clear signal that they value their employees as human beings.
Win-win
Flexible working is a win-win for both sides of the employee/employer relationship.
For employees, flexible working during challenging times can help to:
- Relieve stress and maintain mental health
- Help to stay in work while meeting family responsibilities
- Boost loyalty to the employer
For the employer, it can:
- Help to retain valuable, skilled staff who might otherwise leave
- Ensure teams remain productive while supporting staff through difficult or life-changing periods
- Improve the reputation of the company as a family-friendly and supportive workplace
- Flexible working policy examples
- Flexible Working and Supporting Family Life
This organisation recognises that employees may experience personal circumstances – including childcare commitments, caring responsibilities or other family changes – that necessitate flexibility in their working patterns. All requests for flexible working will be considered in accordance with statutory requirements and the organisation’s internal procedures. Employees are encouraged to raise any such needs with their manager or HR representative in confidence. If appropriate, this organisation may also provide details of external sources of advice and support.
Conclusion
Incorporating flexible working policies into employment handbooks is as much about culture change as it is about updating policy documents. When done right, it reflects an understanding and respect for the professional and personal demands faced by workers. It’s a way to strengthen teams, build loyalty and stay out of disputes.
Coupled with clear processes, fair decision-making and an empathetic attitude towards family pressures, flexible working has the power to make the workplace one where everyone can do their best work, whatever life throws at them.
