In light of Government’s recent extension to the Right to Request Flexible Working, hfx has produced a paper entitled Supporting Flexible Working’.

The paper explains that rather than seeing the new legislation, which now gives all employees that have completed 26 weeks the right to request flexible working, as a burden, the introduction of flexible working can result in many business benefits. One of the key benefits is the ability to retain a valued and skilled staff, making the most of an experienced ageing workforce through flexible retirement arrangement while also attracting ‘millennials’, the so called ‘facebook generation’ who are now entering the workplace who see work as something you do, not somewhere you go.

Paski Matarazzo, Business Development Director at hfx who authored the paper states; “The benefits of providing flexible working are well documented, however, the change in culture required and managing staff working flexible hours can be seen as a significant barrier for some organisations. The same advances in technology that are enabling home and remote working, and hot desking are also powering the latest staff time management systems.”

Flexible working can include compressed hours, flexitime, job share, annual hours contracts, shifts, time off in lieu, sabbaticals, study leave and mobile/remote/home working. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) the vast majority (95 percent) of employers offer some form of flexible working, with up to three quarters of employees taking advantage. A quarter of employees use some form of flexitime while 20 percent work from home on a regular basis.

Issues around managing staff working flexible hours is one of the biggest concerns cited by organisations. However, this can be overcome by systems that are able to plan, manage and document hours worked. Such systems are able to track hours worked by staff using a variety of methods to suit individual requirements including from their PCs or using an app on their phone. Having an accurate record of hours worked provides benefits on many levels for both the business and the workforce.

Managers can see instantly who is in and who is out, attendance data can be monitored against schedules and project deliverables, staff costs can be managed more closely and the business can see that staff work the hours contracted. Typically flexible working solutions also enable managers/department heads to plan schedules to meet the requirements of the business, for example, ensuring that there is adequate cover for customer facing operations. 

Ms Matarazzo concluded; “Staff with flexible working arrangements have been proven to be happier, more motivated and engaged. Using flexible working software organisations can handle multiple work patterns providing visibility, support for management and staff alike, fostering a climate of trust and co-operation. Supporting more modern ways of working ensures that organisations benefit from a multi-faceted workforce ranging from ‘millennials’ just entering the workplace to ‘baby boomers’ looking for a more flexible approach to retirement, and everyone in between providing the maximum level of skills and experience.”