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In this article, we cover:
What the right to flexible working means for UK employers
The evolution of flexible working
The range of benefits flexible working can bring - to both employees and employers
The differences between informal and formal approaches to flexible working
Best practice advice on handling employee requests
Managing temporary changes to working patterns
What are the alternatives to flexible working?
Success stories of flexible working in practice.
If flexible working is an area you know your organisation needs to know more about, get in touch we’re here to help.
Talk to a HR expert today >>What is the right to flexible working?
In April 2024, requesting flexible working became a legal right from day one for UK employees. It means employees no longer have to work for their employer for a minimum term before becoming eligible. This shift has fundamentally changed how and where we work - permanently and for the better.
Prior to this, many businesses had rejected flexible working proposals and employee requests based on concerns around productivity, quality and performance. The global pandemic prompted a cultural shift towards empowering employees to have greater control over their working arrangements, with the goal of creating a more productive, happier, and healthier workforce.
The evolution of flexible working in the UK
The Flexible Working Bill was first introduced to Parliament in June 2021. At this point, UK law stated that employees could only request flexible working after 26 weeks of employment, with requests limited to one per 12 months.
A UK Government consultation in Autumn 2021 gathered views from employees and employers. This feedback set the foundations for flexible working legislation as we know it today. Meanwhile, businesses were already exploring a range of flexible working options.
In December 2022, the government announced plans to make requesting flexible working a right from day one of employment (rather than after 26 weeks), signalling the start of a significant shift in employment law.
A four-day week experiment was conducted in early 2023, with compelling findings:
92% of companies pledged to continue the four-day schedule
Positive impacts on productivity and revenue were documented
Staff retention improved
Employee health and wellbeing showed significant enhancements.
Research by the CIPD showed that people without access to flexible working were twice as likely to be dissatisfied in their jobs compared to those with flexible options. Early-adopters were already starting to see benefits, including reduced stress and burnout, healthier work-life balance, and declining rates of sickness absence and resignations.
While the early signs were positive, there were still challenges to address. Companies needed to:
Educate HR teams and senior leaders about flexible working options
Address resistance from management
Implement clear policies and processes
Consider alternatives for roles unsuitable for flexibility.
Fast-forward to 2025 and huge changes to the Employment Rights Bill, which proposes to further strengthen flexible working rights. The evolution of flexible working in the UK is ongoing and there will be more amendments to come. Our P3 team is here to keep you informed and help you and your business make sense of the changes.
What are the benefits of flexible working?
Flexible working brings a host of advantages for both organisations and employees, with substantial benefits for parents, carers and people with additional needs.
Benefits for Employees
Improved work-life balance
Flexible working arrangements allow employees to find a better balance between their professional and personal commitments. Examples include:
Parents have more time to spend with their children and pick them up from school
Caregivers have the flexibility to share responsibilities with a partner and/or balance their duties with time for themselves
More time to enjoy personal interests, classes and hobbies.
Mental and physical wellbeing
Flexible working provides significant health and wellbeing benefits, including:
Reduced stress and burnout
Improved overall mental health
Better physical wellbeing through more time for exercise and self-care
Reduced feelings of pressure and overwhelm.
Financial benefits
Flexible working has distinct financial advantages, such as:
Reducing the cost and time spent commuting to work
Reduced childcare expenses
Spending less on meals and other away-from-home expenses.
Career development and satisfaction
Flexible arrangements support career growth and employee satisfaction through:
Higher job satisfaction (those without access to flexible working are twice as likely to be dissatisfied at work)
Ability to pursue side projects or entrepreneurial ventures
Enhanced skills development through better work-life integration.
Empowerment and autonomy
Flexible working gives employees greater control over their working lives by giving them:
Choice in how, when, and where they work
Autonomy to adapt their work patterns to personal productivity rhythms
Trust to organise their own work, enhancing confidence and engagement.
Support for diverse needs
Access to flexible working can support employees with disabilities and specific needs, including:
Neurodiverse employees who may benefit from adjusted work environments
Employees with physical or mental health challenges
Employees recovering from long-term illness
Employees with personal challenges at home
Employees approaching retirement.
Organisational and business benefits
As employees discover a healthier work-life balance, businesses may see benefits in the form of:
Improved productivity and customer service
Falling absenteeism
An ability to attract and retain talent from a wider pool
Reduced recruitment costs
Increased loyalty and morale
Openness to innovation and change
Improved relationships between employee and employer
Greater levels of health and wellbeing.
What’s the difference between formal and informal flexible working?
As flexible working evolves, two clear approaches have emerged. When choosing your approach, listen to your employees and adopt the strategy that works best for everyone. The best option might be a blend of formal and informal.
Formal approaches include:
Part-time contracts
Four-day working weeks
Job sharing agreements
Term-time contracts
A structured remote or hybrid working pattern, e.g. three days remote, two in the workplace
Mandatory workplace attendance for a set number of days/hours per week
Shift rotation patterns.
Informal options include:
The ability to swap shifts between colleagues
Time off in lieu (TOIL)
Staggered hours, e.g. different start and finish times
Flexitime, e.g. choosing your own start and finish times
Compressed hours, e.g. working longer hours on some days to finish earlier on others.
Organisations need a strong culture of trust for informal approaches to be successful.
Advice on handling flexible working requests
Employees can make a statutory application for flexible working from their first day in role. They must make the request in writing, and you then have up to two months to consider and respond to the request.
If you approve the request, you must amend the employee’s contract terms and conditions.
If you decide to decline the request, you must explain the business reasons for refusal. The employee might well be unhappy with the outcome. If this is the case, they are within their rights to take their request to an employment tribunal.
Despite the potential for escalation, don’t feel pressured into approving every flexible working request you receive. When making your decision, consider wider business needs, such as additional costs and customer impact, as well as the effect on your immediate team. If there are legitimate business reasons why you cannot approve a flexible working request, you must make these abundantly clear before you decline it.
Most day one requests shouldn’t come as a surprise. Employees who are new to role or to the business may have indicated their interest in flexible working during the interview process.
Knowledge breeds confidence. Would your management team benefit from training on how to manage flexible working requests? Contact us here and let’s make it happen!
Take a look at our training options
Temporary changes to working patterns
In certain circumstances, employees may only need to access flexible working arrangements on a temporary basis. For example, when a child starts school and the family needs time to adjust, or whilst a relative needs support through medical treatment. A request for a temporary change does not have to follow the formal statutory application procedure and is usually initiated by a conversation between employee and manager.
For short-term, temporary arrangements both parties should agree an end date at which time the employee will return to their usual contracted place and hours of work.
Taking a collaborative approach
Would you involve your team in deciding the outcome of a flexible working request? To be successful in operating flexibly, teams need a high level of trust. Asking your team how they propose to adapt if a colleague were to reduce their hours or work from home can be extremely beneficial. Giving an element of control back to your team boosts trust, strengthens workplace culture, and may reduce pressure on you as a line manager when making the final decision.
What are the alternatives to flexible working?
We understand that flexible working arrangements may not suit every employee, role or organisation. If the nature of your business doesn’t allow for flexibility, you might look to other forms of employee rewards and benefits to compensate.
A buy/sell holiday scheme gives employees the option to buy additional leave or receive financial compensation for days they don’t need.
Pay and bonuses are an alternative reward for people who can’t work flexibly or whose roles or workplaces don’t allow for flexible working.
Implementing successful flexible working practices
There is plenty of evidence of successful flexible working out there for us to learn from. If your business is planning to change its approach to flexible working, keep these four points in mind:
Communication is crucial. Listen actively to understand employee needs, communicate regularly, and involve staff at every level.
Remain adaptable. What works today might not be appropriate in a few months. Consider trial periods and evaluate the outcomes.
Invest in leadership training. Managers need specific skills and knowledge to be confident leading hybrid, remote or flexible teams.
Provide appropriate tools and equipment. Employees cannot succeed without the right systems and resources they need to perform their job well.
Taking an open and flexible approach to work can improve people’s lives and enhance your organisation. Our Outsourced HR Service supports you to make strategic decisions in line with employment law. To find out more, please get in touch.
Book a no-obligation call >>Success Stories: Flexible Working in Practice
Forward-thinking organisations have embraced flexible working, with some remarkable results. The following three case studies provide a flavour of the benefits.
Virgin was way ahead of the flexible working curve
Years before it was written into law, Richard Branson wrote in his blog about two employees who had taken advantage of remote working technology to realise their personal ambitions. One became a published author and the other was able to support his wife while she wrote her book. As Richard says, “It’s archaic to assume that people do their best work at a desk”.
Balancing work and family life
Standard Chartered offers employees a choice of five working options, allowing them to choose between hybrid and flexible hours at home and/or in the office or a fixed agreement. Employee engagement was at the heart of implementation with consultation at every stage of the process. The majority of employees opted for a hybrid approach.
The rollout was a huge success, with employees reporting better work-life balance and higher levels of engagement. Since implementing flexible working, the bank also found it was attracting and retaining more diverse talent, giving them a clear competitive advantage. Take a look at the full case study
Flexibility for carers at Leonardo UK
Aerospace, defence and security giant, Leonardo UK, won an Investors in People Award for its approach to flexible working policy, which helps employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. Their policy has enabled employees to maintain work responsibilities while managing personal circumstances, including caring for ill family members.
The Future of Flexible Working
Flexible working has reshaped how employees think about work and what they expect from their employer. What began as a response to the pandemic has evolved into a permanent transformation of UK employment law.
The journey from optional benefit to legal right reflects changing attitudes towards work-life balance, productivity, and employee wellbeing. Companies that embrace these changes stand to benefit from increased engagement, improved retention, and access to a broader and more diverse talent pool.
Successful flexible working policies require ongoing communication, willingness to adapt, and a foundation of trust between employers and employees. By listening to your employees and implementing thoughtful, inclusive policies, your business can turn this legislative change into a competitive advantage while improving quality of life for your employees.
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