An HR manager’s guide to flexible working
Embracing flexible working offers a strategic advantage in attracting and retaining top talent. This resource offers key guidance to help you get it right.
Published: 12 March 2025 | by Brightmine | Reviewed by Robert Shore, HR Markets Insights Editor at Brightmine
Over the years, flexible working has gained significant traction among employees and employers alike. Far from being a passing trend, flexible working represents a fundamental rethinking of work-life balance, operational efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
For employers, embracing flexible working offers a strategic advantage in attracting and retaining top talent. However, getting it right is the ultimate make or break to its success.
In this resource:
- What is the meaning of flexible working?
- What are some typical reasons for flexible working?
- What are the benefits of flexible working?
- What are the disadvantages of flexible working?
- Employer requirements related to flexible working
- Managing a flexible working request
- Can employers refuse flexible working hours?
What is the meaning of flexible working?
Flexible working encompasses any arrangement that deviates from the traditional 9-to-5, office-based model, granting employees greater control over their working environment, hours, and location.
While not all forms of flexible working are suitable for every role or organisation, employers can explore options suitable for their workforce’s unique needs. These working arrangements typically include:
Job sharing
Where two individuals share the responsibilities of a single full-time position, each working part-time hours. This arrangement allows businesses to leverage diverse skill sets while offering employees a reduced number of working hours or days, enabling them to balance professional and personal responsibilities more effectively.
Remote working
Performing job duties from locations other than the traditional workplace, including working from home. This approach has become increasingly popular as advancements in technology enable seamless communication and collaboration from virtually anywhere. Remote working can also reduce commuting costs and time, enhancing work-life balance.
Hybrid working
A combination of remote and on-site work, allowing employees to split their time between different locations. Hybrid working provides flexibility while maintaining in-person collaboration and team bonding opportunities, making it an ideal model for modern workplaces.
Part-time
Working fewer hours or days than the standard full-time schedule. Offering part-time work is particularly beneficial for employees managing personal commitments, such as caregiving or further education, alongside their professional careers.
Compressed hours
Completing the standard full-time hours over a reduced number of working days, such as a four-day workweek or a nine-day fortnight. Compressed hours arrangements may boost productivity while granting employees longer periods of uninterrupted personal time, promoting better overall wellbeing.
Flexitime
Employees choose their start and finish times within agreed-upon core hours, ensuring flexibility without compromising team collaboration. Choosing to work flexitime allows employees to tailor their schedules to match their peak productivity hours.
Staggered hours
Employees have varied start, finish, and break times, ensuring smooth operations across extended hours. This approach is often used in industries requiring continuous coverage or shift work.
Phased retirement
Gradually reducing the number of working hours as employees approach retirement, allowing for a smoother transition while retaining valuable expertise within the organisation. Phased retirement can also help organisations manage workforce planning more effectively.
What are some typical reasons for flexible working?
Flexible working arrangements are sought by employees for a variety of personal and professional reasons. These motivations include:
- Balancing family or caregiving responsibilities: Managing duties such as childcare or caring for elderly relatives.
- Improving mental health and wellbeing: Reducing stressors like long commutes and rigid schedules to improve employee wellbeing and mental health.
- Pursuing education or personal development: Whether they have decided to go back into education or complete personal or professional growth training, choosing to work flexibly enables employees to invest in their development without sacrificing their careers.
- Reducing commute times and costs: Minimising travel time and expenses helps employees achieve a more sustainable daily routine.
- Adapting to health-related needs or disabilities: Employees may request flexible working such as working from home to tailor their work environment to better suit their unique circumstances, ensuring they can work comfortably and effectively while feeling supported and included.
What are the benefits of flexible working?
By giving people more control over their schedules and work environments, organisations can unlock a host of benefits that go beyond boosting morale. Here’s why embracing flexible working can be a game-changer for your business and your team:
Increased productivity
A study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) revealed that over 38% of British employers reported improved productivity due to flexible working arrangements.
Enhanced job satisfaction
Research by the ADP Research Institute found that 82% of UK employees enjoying flexible work arrangements reported higher job satisfaction, attributing their happiness to the autonomy and balance these setups provide.
Attracting top talent
Another CIPD report highlights that 71% of UK employees reported flexible working was important to them when considering a new role.
In addition , if we take a look at a two-year study led by Timewise and the Institute of Employment Studies examining the impact of increased flexibility on frontline and site-based roles, it was found that:
- At the start of the project, 51% of participants reported that their working arrangements supported good personal health and wellbeing. By the end of the trial, this figure increased to 82%.
- Job satisfaction improved for 83% of employees, directly linked to the new working patterns.
- 84% of participants stated that their new working arrangements were central to how they wanted to work in the future.
- 76% of employees expressed that increased flexibility made them more likely to stay with their current employer.
- 28% of employees initially reported taking sick leave due to a lack of flexible options; this number significantly dropped with the introduction of flexible working.
- 83% of those who experienced changes in their working arrangements agreed they became more productive, as they could better plan their work around personal priorities.
What are the disadvantages of flexible working?
However, although flexible working brings many advantages, it also comes with its share of challenges that both employers and employees need to address thoughtfully:
Team cohesion
A study focusing on the impact of remote work on team dynamics found that team cohesion initially deteriorated when transitioning to remote work. This deterioration was only stabilised after the implementation of virtual team-building exercises, highlighting the need for intentional efforts to maintain team spirit in a flexible working environment.
Communication barriers
Another study found that while flexible work arrangements offer various benefits, they can also lead to communication challenges among team members, potentially affecting collaboration and information flow.
Monitoring performance
The 2023 POST report notes that managers may find it challenging to monitor employee performance in remote settings, which can complicate the assessment of work quality and productivity.
Self-exploitation risks
Employees may feel compelled to work a longer number of hours under flexible arrangements, leading to self-exploitation and increased stress levels.
The blurring of work-life boundaries
The same research found that flexible working can cause work to intrude into personal time, not only through additional hours but also by occupying mental space, making it harder to disengage from work-related thoughts.
Therefore, when agreeing on flexible arrangements with employees, it’s important to weigh in and keep a close eye on these challenges to mitigate any risk and ensure that the arrangement works for everyone.
Employer requirements related to flexible working
As an employer you must understand and adhere to the legal responsibilities around flexible working.
The Right to Request Flexible Work
Under the Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023, which came into effect on the 6th of April 2024, employees have the statutory right to make a flexible working request from the first day of employment.
Essentially, the employee writes to the employer, requesting the statutory right to request flexible working. The request must include:
- The date of the request.
- The change the employee is requesting to the terms and conditions of their employment in relation to their hours, times or place of work.
- The date the employee would like the change to come into effect.
- If and when the employee has made a previous request for flexible working to the employer.
Employees can make two requests in any 12-month period, rather than the previous one request pre-April 2024. And as an employer, you are also now required to decide on the request within two months of receiving it.
If you, as the employer, agree to the request, you must change the terms and conditions in the employee’s contract. However, if you disagree, you must tell the employee the business reasons for the refusal.
Future changes to the UK law on flexible working
The Employment Rights Bill, published on 10th October 2024, aims to further enhance workers’ rights, including making flexible working the default from day one. Employers may still refuse only if the refusal is reasonable under one of the current grounds.
While the Bill has not yet been enacted into law, the current legal framework regarding the right to request flexible working from day one is governed by the Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023. However, in its Next Steps to Make Work Pay policy paper, the Government states the reforms are due to take place no earlier than 2026.
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For comprehensive guidance on flexible working compliance requirements, review our coverage of the Right to Request Flexible Working the HR & Compliance Centre Employment law guide.
Managing a flexible working request
If an employee makes a statutory request, the employer and employee must follow the Acas Code of Practice on requests for flexible working.
This is particularly important to follow, because if you find yourself in an employment tribunal situation, the judge will consider whether both parties have followed the Acas Code.
Essentially, as an employer, once you receive the written request for flexible work from an employee you need to:
- Acknowledge the request: Upon receiving a statutory request in writing, promptly confirm receipt to the employee.
- Consider the request: Evaluate the request carefully, considering the benefits for the employee and the business, and assess any potential adverse effects.
- Meet to discuss: Arrange a meeting with the employee to discuss the request in detail. This provides an opportunity to understand the employee’s needs and explore possible alternatives if the original request cannot be accommodated.
- Allow accompaniment: Permit the employee to be accompanied by a work colleague or trade union representative during the discussion, as this can support a constructive dialogue.
- Communicate the decision: Inform the employee of the decision in writing as soon as possible. If the request is granted, outline the changes and implementation date. If refused, provide a clear business reason, as specified in the Employment Rights Act 1996, and explain why it applies.
- Offer the right to appeal: If the request is denied, inform the employee of their right to appeal the decision, ensuring the process is impartial and handled by a different manager if possible.
- Maintain records: Keep detailed records of all requests, discussions, and decisions to ensure transparency and compliance with legal obligations.
It is also important to note that employers must handle requests reasonably and make a decision, including any appeal, within two months of receiving the request unless an extension is mutually agreed upon.
Can employers refuse flexible working hours?
Yes, employers can refuse flexible working requests, but only on specific grounds.
What are the 8 reasons for refusing a flexible work request?
A decision to reject a request must be for one or more of the following business reasons, which are set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996:
- Additional costs that would burden the business.
- Negative impact on quality of work.
- Inability to meet customer demand.
- Challenges in reorganising work among existing staff.
- Difficulty recruiting additional staff.
- Negative effect on performance.
- Lack of available work during proposed working times.
- Planned structural changes.
However, if you are going to refuse a flexible working request on one of the above grounds, it is imperative that you justify your decision and communicate it transparently. If not, you could fall short in an employment tribunal case.
Expert guidance and templates for flexible working
In all, by understanding the intricacies of flexible working and addressing the challenges proactively, you can keep your business safe and running while also enhancing the employee experience and unlocking future potential for growth.
For guidance and templates and to stay up to date with the latest news and legislative updates on flexible working in the UK, subscribe the Brightmine HR & Compliance Centre.
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Brightmine
With more than 10,000 customers, Brightmine is a leading global provider of people data, analytics and insight – empowering HR leaders to deliver brighter business outcomes.
For more than two decades, Brightmine, formerly XpertHR, has continued to help HR leaders confidently navigate the evolving world of work through our unique combination of critical workforce data, AI-enabled technology, and trusted HR expertise.
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