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My Family Care asks Sara: Flexible working seems to be the way of the future, but how are companies dealing with requests and what advice do you have for others who want to work flexibly?
The rise of flexible working
Sitting on a roof top terrace in Shanghai, Sir Richard Branson asked me a similar question when he wanted to know my views about flexible working; at the time he was writing his book 'Screw Business As Usual'.
5 years on from that conversation, I am pleased to say that there are now more examples of UK employers who have embraced the concept of flexible working, recognising that the traditional 9.00am to 5.30pm working day simply doesn't match the modern world anymore.
'Any time, any place, anywhere' is the approach Centrica took when they were branding their flexible working practices, highlighting that 'work is what I do, not a place I go'. Whilst Ernst and Young now promote an 'adult to adult' relationship with their employees, part of which is trusting them to work flexibly.
Why do we need it?
The drive for flexible working has, in previous years, been aimed at helping working families with young children - and those with caring responsibilities - achieve a better work life balance.
The rising cost of childcare has also made it unfeasible for many women to return back to work on a full time basis.
In 2014, the right to request to work flexibly was extended to all employees, as it was recognised that people wanted to work flexibly as they neared retirement or pursued training.
Many organisations have introduced flexible working practices across the board. Some of these, for example, include starting later in the day or being able to leave early, which goes a long way to helping people manage their work life balance more effectively. It's not just about having to pick up the children from school, simply fitting in a dentist appointment during normal working hours requires a need to work flexibly from time to time!
Google are quoted as saying "people thrive in an organisation built on trust, and that allows them some flexibility to manage their work in their own time and their own way".
What's the answer?
Perhaps, in time, the UK can mitigate the need for flexible working by taking the approach Sweden took in 2015, when it introduced the move to a 6-hour working day. The country, which is well known for its focus on work life balance and wellbeing, highlighted that a 6-hour workday was actually more productive for employees and made them happier and more engaged.
Under the current legislation employees only have the right to 'request' to work flexibly, and employers must give due consideration to the request.
Not all organisations are going to be in a position where they can agree to requests. Smaller organisations with tighter resources may struggle to accommodate requests made. In situations where employers are unable to agree to a flexible working request, it may still be possible for a level of flexibility to be agreed to suit both parties. In all cases, a trial period can be introduced to see how well an arrangement works.
How should we go about making requests?
Flexible working requests need to work for both the individual making the request and the employer. It is not the responsibility of the organisation to show the request can be accommodated, but instead the responsibility of the individual to show due thought and consideration to how the request will work in practice.
The amount of thought and detail going into a request to work flexibly will depend on the significance of the request. Asking to start work at 10.00am and finish at 6.00pm instead of working 9.00am to 5.00pm may not, depending on your role, impact the business at all.
However, if the request is one to go from a 5 day week to a 4 day week and have 1 of the days where you work from home, then thought will need to be given to how the role will still be covered in the reduced hours; how you will manage your time, attend meetings where necessary, and work without close supervision?
In cases where an employer cannot fully accommodate a request, don't give up hope! There may be a possibility for an element of the request to be accommodated with some creative thinking and planning.
Sara Maude, Mind Coach and Solution Focused Psychotherapist, The Mind Solution
