What does the new Flexible Working amendment mean for you and your business? 

How should you handle requests for flexible working? 

What are your employees’ rights in this area, and what are yours?

Don't worry, here is everything you need to know.........

What change has been made to the Employment Rights Bill?

The Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023 Act has now come into effect and applies to any applications made from 6th April 2024.

Previously, employees needed to be working for you for a minimum of 26 weeks before they could request to work flexibly, now under the new amendment, they can request flexible working arrangements from the first day of their employment with you. They can also make two requests within a year when previously they could only make one.

Employees no longer are required to discuss with their employer what impact their request may have or how the effects can be managed and as their employer, you are required to consult with your employee before you can reject it.

Under previous rules, employers had 3 months to consider and respond to a request for flexible working; this has now been reduced to two months.

What does “flexible working” actually mean?

This can refer to your employee’s working hours or their pattern of work, for example, working part-time, flexitime, having compressed hours or adjusting their start or finish time. It can also apply to changing their work location, for example working from home.

What do you need to do?

Firstly, review your policies - and make sure your flexible working policy is up to date to reflect the new law, then make sure you have a process in place to review and respond to requests for flexible working, Please don’t wait for the first application to come in to do this.......Decide how you will deal with requests and make all line managers are aware of the process for this.

How should you respond to a request?

You should always ask your employee to make their request in writing if they haven't done so already, clearly setting out what changes they wish to make.

It is important to consider all requests fairly and it’s always worth discussing it with your employee. Of course, they are not obliged to discuss the potential impact on your business, but it may be helpful for you to know their thoughts and feelings on the matter.

Remember that while your employees have a right to request flexible working, you are not obliged to say yes.

Not all job roles are suitable for different working patterns - but it’s a good idea to approach all requests from the point of view of “how can we make this work”.

What are acceptable reasons for turning down a request?

There are eight permitted reasons for turning down a request for flexible working:

• The cost to your business would be too high
• Work cannot be reorganised among your other staff
• You cannot recruit more staff
• Quality will be negatively affected
• Your business’s ability to meet customer demand will be negatively affected
• Performance will be negatively affected
• There is not enough work for your employee to do at the time(s) they’ve requested
• There are planned changes to the business, and you believe the request will not fit with these plans

Look for a compromise

If you’re not able to accept your employee’s request as it is, look for ways to compromise:

• Could you agree to part of the request?

• Could you agree to a short-term change, rather than permanently?

• If a weekly work pattern change is not possible, could an amended work pattern on a different timescale work?

What if you can’t agree to a flexible working request?

All decisions must be made fairly and using facts rather than personal opinion, if you really can’t find a way to make it work, talk to your employee and explain the situation. Listen to their reasons for requesting the change and suggest alternative options if you can. You could also ask them if they have any other ideas for future options.

You want your employees to feel happy and valued in their work. So even if you can’t accommodate their request, it’s important that they feel heard and understood.

Consider how flexible working could fit for any future new employees

It’s important to communicate your flexible working policy, and the level of flexibility you can reasonably accommodate when you’re hiring new employees - otherwise you could see your staff turnover rocket.

The employment landscape is changing, and jobseekers are keen to work for businesses that show that they value employee wellbeing. Flexible working opportunities are a great way of attracting the best new people to your team, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to make this work.

In conclusion

Your employees are now entitled to request a flexible working pattern from their first day of employment with you. You must consider their request fairly and have a valid reason for turning it down.

If you're concerned about how working with the new law around this subject may affect your business, or you are worried about how to put it into practice, get in touch for an informal chat about how we could help you. Arrange that with our HR Director, Kat here: https://calendly.com/blackkat-hr/20-minute-exploration-call