Government Changes to Flexible Working- What Are They and What Do They Mean For You?
Written by Stephen Linsley
The UK government is currently passing legislation that will give millions of employees more freedom on how, when and where they work from the very day that they start.?
Employees will now no longer have to wait the 26 week waiting period required by current legislation.?
With 33% of employees saying this would encourage them to look for a new role according to Oak Engage’s Future of Working Report, this will be music to the ears of many.??
When rejecting a request, employers will also be obliged to provide an explanation and offer alternative options, which they were previously not required to do.?
This comes despite senior government officials recently urging their own employees back into the office on a full-time basis.?
So, what does the new legislation fully entail? What does this mean for you and your organisation? What difference can this really make??
We’ve got you covered…
The New Legislation- What Has Changed??
According to the government’s press release, the changes to the current legislation will…
Why Has it Been Introduced?
The 9 to 5 has been ingrained in our working culture for decades, but there has been a dramatic shift over recent years to the extent that many organisations are enjoying success with unprecedented 4-day-weeks.?
It seems that the UK government realises enforcing businesses to be more accommodating is key to economic recovery and growth. With Gartner reporting that 43% of workers achieve greater productivity through flexible working, they may be onto something…
Kevin Hollinrake, Minister for Small Business, said: “Giving staff more say over their working pattern makes for happier employees and more productive businesses. Put simply, it’s a no-brainer.”
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The news will come as a massive boost for millions of workers and for the job market. Flexibility will help boost work-life balance for many and those in low-paid jobs can improve their financial situation with an additional job, helping to fill the increasing number of vacancies.
How to Get the Best out of Flexible Working Teams?
Regular dialogue between managers and employees
The new legislation may only require a business to permit two requests every 12 months, but it’s important that you’re not too rigid to allow any changes to arrangements when necessary. Needs may alter more frequently, or it may be that an arrangement isn’t as suitable as it first seemed.?
When speaking to Oak Engage for the upcoming Mental Health in the Workplace Report, burnout consultant and author Matt Heller, said: “If people are in a new environment they don’t know the pitfalls that are in their way or what is causing them additional stress.
“If it is working then great, if not, let's reevaluate and find out how we can make it better.”?
Keep employees connected to each other?
Flexible working…the clue is in the name. It’s not a one-size-fits-all and you may have members of the team working slightly different patterns or even in different time zones. This does not have to come at the expense of culture or camaraderie.?
Creating spaces for employees to collaborate and socialise in a virtual setting is essential to reinforcing workplace relationships in flexible working environments. Through Oak Engage’s social features such as timelines and instant messaging, employees are able to intuitively interact with one another to create those connections virtually.?
Read our guide to how a social intranet can help transform your business.
Simplify information sources
Another way in which you need to accommodate flexible working is to consider how information is accessed. If it’s not as simple to get in touch with a colleague to enquire about a piece of work, you need to ensure there are centralised sources that are easy to find to avoid wasted time spent searching. Find how Oak can not only provide centralised content management , but also integrate with your existing content sources such as Office365 and Google.
Want to know more about the benefits of flexible working before the law comes into play? Read our blog on how flexible working can encourage employee engagement and output.?