Working Families - Flexible Working Guide
Working Families - Flexible Working Guide
Why should your employer agree to the change you have asked for? There may be positives for your employer as well as for you - examples you might use are:
Working with a job share partner will bring two different sets of ideas and two people's energy to the role
I will be more productive if I am able to work from home, as I will be able to work uninterrupted and cut down on travelling time
The hours I have suggested will allow me to work more hours during busy periods and not waste time in the office at less busy times
I feel the reduced working week will enable me to be fully focused on work when I am there
By allowing flexible working, the company/organisation will retain experienced members of staff who might otherwise have to leave. This saves on recruitment and training costs.
The organisation will benefit from an improved image if it is seen to promote a healthy work/life balance. This could improve morale amongst existing staff and encourage high calibre applicants to apply to it in future.
Changed working hours would enable the service the organisation offers to be available earlier in the morning/later in the evening/during the lunch hour
Emphasise the fact that it is in your interest as much as theirs to make any new arrangement work. If they won't agree you could propose a trial period to overcome any concerns they have (phone the helpline for advice first 0800 013 0313).
Address any problems
You are more likely to be taken seriously if you discuss honestly any difficulties you can foresee with the proposed arrangement. Think about how your new arrangement would affect your working relationships with:
External clients/customers
Internal clients/customers (if applicable)
Your colleagues
Your manager
If there are any specific problems - mention them - and your proposed solution/s.
Examples
Your employer may ask:
How will you and your job share partner know what each other is doing? You could suggest a handover book where each writes in important notes for the other to read.
If you only work three days a week, what about if urgent queries come in on the other two days? You could say - you will not take two days together so you will never be out of the office for more than one day. You will be available on a mobile for urgent queries / or you will check your emails at 3pm on the days you are off to see if there are any urgent messages (this prevents people feeling they can contact you at any time, which may end up being difficult to manage).
You can strengthen your argument by including information about other flexible workers, whether within your own organisation or elsewhere.
See case studies from the winners of our Best Boss and Employer of the Year awards.
If you are suggesting a reduction in hours, make sure you address the question of what will happen to the other hours. Do you suggest a part timer being employed to cover those hours? Or some of the tasks being removed from the job - if so, who will do them? Think about your colleagues and how they will be affected. You will need their support if your new arrangement is to be a success.
ACTION POINT
List any problems you think your employer may raise
What solutions might you propose?
Your boss may be happy to agree to your proposal as it is, in which case - congratulations! Now you just have to make it work in practice! If they are unhappy about the whole idea of a change in working arrangements, or about particular aspects of your plan - you are then into a negotiation. This is also a good time to ring the helpline to discuss your next move - 0800 013 0313