Understanding The Impact Of Flexible Working

09/02/2010

By Richard Nelson Solicitors

As we are all well aware, today's modern society brings with it many pressures. Particularly with families with children, it can be a struggle to survive, let alone prosper. This means that there is little option but for both parents to work.

Other pressures on families include:

- A marked increase in the number of single parent families who balance employment with childcare.

- Approximately 600,000 carers who combine work with looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner, without pay.

- Changing demographics - an ageing population, smaller families and different...

...family structures - mean that the number of people in the workforce with caring responsibilities is set to increase.

This, in turn, increases the need for flexible working. It is easy to understand how employees can benefit by having a better work-life balance, but how can employers gain by introducing a more flexible approach?

Firstly, employers who are committed to family friendly arrangements are more attractive to people looking for work, hence increasing the recruitment pool. Offering more flexible working arrangements also brings further business benefits, for example, enabling smaller companies to remain open for longer hours. Ultimately, treating staff in a fair and professional manner gains loyalty and helps reduce staff turnover.

So where does the law come in? Employees who have been working in their job for 26 weeks, and who have children under six, or a disabled child under the age of 18, have the right to request a variation of their working patterns and/or hours, so as to be able to take care of dependents. This right has been extended to carers.


The following steps should be taken;

- The employee makes a formal request in writing.

- The employer is then obliged to follow... continued on page two >

 

 

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