Everything you need to know about the flexible working bill... and what tf to do about it

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This week, I’ll be covering:

?? Graph of the week - I've actually included two today

? The Flexible Working Bill: What You Need to Know

??♂? What can companies do to get ahead?

?? How you can work with me through newsletters, events, workshops, and content

??? What I’ve read (and listened to) this week

First up, here are the graphs of the week:

This is based on hundreds of thousands of searches conducted on Flexa over the past three months.

See how many different types of flexible working people want? Imagine putting yourself in a position where people have no idea what you offer before they apply and join, only to then request their ideal way of working on day one of employment.

Read on to learn how to get ahead, and mitigate the impact...

The Flexible Working Bill: What You Need to Know

The Flexible Working Bill is a piece of legislation that has been making waves in the UK employment law world. The bill, which received Royal Assent in July 2023, creates significant changes to the way flexible working requests will be handled in the UK.

What are the key changes in the legislation?

• The right to request flexible working from day one. Previously, employees had to work for 26 weeks before they could request flexible working. The new law means that employees can ask for flexible working from the moment they start their job.

• The right to two requests per year. Employees can now make two requests for flexible working per year, up from one. This means that employees have more flexibility to change their working arrangements if their needs change.

• A shorter timescale for employers to respond. Employers now have two months to respond to a request for flexible working, down from three. This means that employees will get a quicker response to their requests.

• A requirement for employers to discuss all requests. Even if an employer is not able to accommodate a request for flexible working, they are still required to discuss the request with the employee. This gives employees the opportunity to explain their reasons for requesting flexible working and to explore alternative options.

When will the new legislation come into force?

The new legislation is expected to come into force in April 2024. This means that employees will be able to start making requests for flexible working from that date.

For any employment law questions, please reach out to Dean Jones at Jones Chase Employment Lawyers who know far more than I ever will about the ins and outs of the flexible working bill.

Is it a good thing?

It’s a step in the right direction. Ultimately, taking a job without knowing what kind of flexible working will be on offer is not ideal. It puts the employee in a stronger position than the previous 26 week limitation did, but it still doesn’t address the lack of transparency that every candidate experiences in their job hunt.

Also, it poses the risk for companies that they end up with a huge array of different working patterns that are not productive, and hard to manage. Ultimately, offering flexible working as standard and being transparent about the kind of working environment that is on offer makes a lot more sense.?

What can companies do to get ahead?

• Firstly, offer flexible working as standard. Commit to a minimum amount of flexibility that all office workers can avail of. You’ll have more control over the culture and consistency of your working environment if you embrace the future of work now, rather than being forced.?

• Secondly, publicise that. If you are transparent about what you offer, you’ll appeal to aligned talent. Phrases like “open to flexible working” can go in the bin. Say “we encourage 2 days a week in the office” and “our core hours are 10-4”. This will mean that you’ll get applications from people who want to work in the way you work, will thrive in your environment, and you’ll significantly reduce the number of requests (and legal costs).?

• Thirdly, encourage conversations about adaptations before day 1. Don’t wait until day 1 to talk about this. That’s like waiting until you’ve moved in with your partner to have a conversation about the future. Create a safe and open environment during the interview process where people can talk about their circumstances, needs, desires, and ideal working environments.?

This is our bread and butter at Flexa - using your working environment to attract perfectly aligned, diverse talent that wants to work in the way that you do. If you’ve already got flexible working, flaunt it, and you’ll remain way ahead of any companies relying on day 1 requests to offer flexible working.?

See how our Flexified companies lead with transparency here. Or become one of them by clicking this box below ??

Work with me:

I am a flexible working and future of work expert, but I also talk regularly about personal and employer brand building. There are a few ways we can work together:

• Have me speak at your next event or conference
• Bring me in to run a workshop session with your employees around employee advocacy and personal branding
• Educate your talent team about employer branding with my employer branding run-down sessions
• Sponsor my newsletter and reach over 14,000 people
• Connect about sponsored posts and influencer opportunities

If you’re interested in any of these, please drop me an email on [email protected] or DM me via LinkedIn.?

What I’ve read and listened to this week - here are some of my favourite articles ??

• 彭博资讯 wrote about the cost of disability exclusion - it's an eye opening read. Check it out here.
• I talked to CNBC about the red flags that signal "fake flexibility". Read them all here.
• Hailey Mensik wrote about trust issues in flexible working for WorkLife - read her take on it here.
• The Economist dive into how to get flexible working right. It's about structure, interestingly. Have a read here.

Thanks for reading ??