Flexible Work Practices

Flexible Work Practices List the benefits for a) The Employer 1. 2. 3. 4.

Reduction in unplanned absenteeism, lateness and stress Great staff availability overtime, travel shift work and training Increase staff motivation and commitment to workplace Maybe suitable hours for everybody including employer

b) The Employee Can work while kids are at school or Mother returning to work 2. Can do more part-time work e.g. 2 days and 3 days 3. Longer hours - less days 4. Subcontract - e.g. work from home and have weekly meetings

1.

Resources and Communication:  Have all the resources in details there available, and copy for everybody to take 

and read in their own personal time. In plain English so no one gets mixed up or misunderstand any comments From the beginning This Company has made this office’s surroundings very different in every way e.g. no partitions at all and monthly outings, even their meeting are fun and all the departments are there where they have open discussions about everything so communication is not a problem

Culture:    

Ask the staff what they think? Would they be willing to take the change? The Surveys state that this is what is needed and the staff would really reap the rewards Where 40 hours per week doesn’t have to be in the day time You can’t do 40 hours per week coz it costs lots in child care (work from home some days) Ways of getting worked done so the building or the floor is utilised to its full capacity e.g. more work comes in so doubles up the work load

Flexible working and work-life balance Flexible working opportunities can benefit everyone - employers, employees and their families. Most employers now recognise that it makes good business sense to provide flexible working opportunities for their staff. Find out if you have the right to request a flexible working pattern. What is it?

'Flexible working' is a phrase that describes any working pattern adapted to suit your needs. Common types of flexible working are: •

part time: working less than the normal hours, perhaps by working fewer days per week

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flexi-time: choosing when to work (there's usually a core period during which you have to work)

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annualised hours: your hours are worked out over a year (often set shifts with you deciding when to work the other hours)

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compressed hours: working your agreed hours over fewer days

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staggered hours: different starting, break and finishing times for employees in the same workplace

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job sharing: sharing a job designed for one person with someone else

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home working: working from home

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other forms of flexible working that are better suited to you and your employer.

An Example of Sharing Work Load [Type a quote from the document or the summary of an

Now that you have selected flexitime as the working pattern that most closely suits your circumstances, you can make an application to your employer. Before you do this however, you need to build a business case in support of your application. Flexitime may have an impact on your employer's business and there are certain business grounds on which your application could be refused. Your case should try to suggest solutions to any potential problems and highlight the advantages of letting you work flexitime. Your working pattern Think carefully about the effect that working flexitime will have on your employer's business. For example, if your job requires you to open the shop at 9.00am each day, your employer may well refuse your request to start work at 10.00am. Having a clear idea of the limits to any request will help you decide what you should ask for and encourage your employer to take your request seriously. Don't damage your chances by asking for something which is clearly not going to be workable. Cost of keeping the workplace open for longer Your employer may have grounds to refuse your request because of the extra cost of opening the workplace for longer. Think about whether these costs are outweighed by the advantages of the business being open longer. Unpaid overtime If your employer relies on a system of unpaid overtime, you can point out the benefits to your morale and motivation of introducing a system of flexitime. It shouldn't cost any more, as you'll be working the same number of hours; but it will allow you to work longer hours during busy periods and the business to operate for more hours of the day. Responding to customer needs Your employer can refuse your request to work flexitime if it will have an impact on the ability of the business to meet customer demand. Point out to your employer that flexitime would allow the business to respond better to customer needs for more hours of the day. Work during quiet periods Working during quieter periods could increase the amount of work you can get done as there will be fewer interruptions. For example, if you work in customer service, flexitime may allow you to catch up with your paperwork at times when the phones aren't busy. Keeping track of hours worked Your employer may argue that it will be difficult to keep track of the hours you're planning to work. You may be able to adapt the system you currently use to record your hours. Other ways of tracking the hours you plan to work include recording your hours and what you've been working on in a timesheet or setting out the hours you plan to work in an electronic diary or calendar that your employer can view.

Work-life balance You need to stress that improving your work-life balance will help your morale, motivation and commitment to the business. If you need to work flexibly because of family commitments, granting your request will make sure that you can stay with the business and are not forced to look elsewhere. It will also enhance the business's reputation as an employer of choice. Supporting your application Speak to anyone you know in a similar job about their working patterns and find out how they presented their case to their employer. Use this information in support of your application. Alternatively, if their request was refused, look at the reasons given and see if these could be applied to your case. If so, think of ways around them. Trial periods If you or your employers aren’t sure that flexitime will work, remember that you can agree to try out the new pattern for a short period. Be sure to agree (in writing) with your employer which of you has the final decision about whether the pattern becomes permanent and what will happen if you can’t agree. What to do next Making your application The information above should help you make an application to your employer. You can make your application either in the form of a letter containing all the required information or using a readymade application form. The information from this business case will help you fill in parts 3 and 4 of the form.

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The Application Form below Please have a read of it ___________________________________________________________________________________

Form FW(A): Flexible working application form

Note to the employee You can use this form to make an application to work flexibly under the right provided in law to help eligible employees care for their children or for an adult. Before completing this form, you should first read the Guidance on the right to request flexible working on BERR’s website, and check that you are eligible to make a request. You should note that under the right it may take up to 14 weeks to consider a request before it can be implemented and possibly longer where difficulties arise. You should therefore ensure that you submit your application to the appropriate person well in advance of the date you wish the request to take effect. It will help your employer to consider your request if you provide as much information as you can about your desired working pattern. It is important that you complete all the questions as otherwise your application may not be valid. When completing sections 3 & 4, think about what effect your change in working pattern will have both on the work that you do and on your colleagues. Once you have completed the form, you should immediately forward it to your employer (you might want to keep a copy for your own records). Your employer will then have 28 days after the day your application is received in which to arrange a meeting with you to discuss your request. If the request is granted, this will normally be a permanent change to your terms and conditions unless otherwise agreed.

Note to the employer This is a formal application made under the legal right to apply for flexible working and the duty on employers to consider applications seriously. You have 28 days after the day you received this application in which to either agree to the request or arrange a meeting with your employee to discuss their request. You should confirm receipt of this application using the attached confirmation slip. Forms accompanying the guidance have been provided for you to respond to this application. 1.

Personal Details

Name: Manager:

Staff or payroll number: National Insurance No:

To the employer I would like to apply to work a flexible working pattern that is different to my current working pattern under my right provided under section 80F of the Employment Rights Act 1996. I confirm I meet each of the eligibility criteria as follows:

Either

• I have responsibility for the upbringing of either: [ ] a child under six; (sixteen and under from 6 April, 2009) or [ ] a disabled child under 18. • I am: o The mother, father, adopter, guardian, special guardian or foster parent of the child; or o Married to, or the partner or civil partner of, the child’s mother, father, adopter, guardian, special guardian or foster parent. • I am making this request to help me care for the child. Or

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I am, or expect to be, caring for an adult.

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I am: o The spouse, partner, civil partner or relative of the adult in need of care; or o Not the spouse, partner, civil partner or relative of that adult, but live at the same address.

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I am making this request to help me care for the adult in need of care.

• I have worked continuously as an employee of the company for the last 26 weeks. • I have not made a request to work flexibly under this right during the past 12 months. Date of any previous request to work flexibly under this right: If you are not sure whether you meet any of the criteria, information can be found in the Eligibility section of the Guidance. If you are unable to tick all of the relevant boxes then you do not qualify to make a request to work flexibly under the statutory procedure. This does not mean that your request may not be considered, but you will have to explore this separately with your employer. Many employers offer flexible working to their staff as best practice.

2a.

Describe your current working pattern (days/hours/times worked):

2b. Describe the working pattern you would like to work in future (days/hours/times worked):

2c.

I would like this working pattern to commence from:

Date:

3.

Impact of the new working pattern

I think this change in my working pattern will affect my employer and colleagues as follows:

4.

Accommodating the new working pattern

I think the effect on my employer and colleagues can be dealt with as follows:

Name:

Date:

NOW PASS THIS APPLICATION TO YOUR EMPLOYER 

-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cut this slip off and return it to your employee in order to confirm your receipt of their application

Employer’s Confirmation of Receipt (to be completed and returned to employee) Dear: I confirm that I received your request to change your work pattern on: Date: I shall be arranging a meeting to discuss your application within 28 days following this date. In the meantime, you might want to consider whether you would like a colleague to accompany you to the meeting. From: