Skip to content
Accessibility Sitemap Search

The UK's national charity for working parents and carers

Donate
Members log in

What does Flex mean to you?

In a flexible world, everyone works differently and for different reasons, and so for this year’s National Work Life Week, we’re asking people to share – what does flexible working mean to you? 

Tell us what flex means to you!

Case study library

  • Welcome to our employer case study library

    The case studies are free to access. To help keep the library relevant and useful, please provide a few details. By entering your data, you agree that your information will be processed in accordance with our privacy policy.

    Alternatively, if you are a Working Familes member, please log in for immediate access.

    Members Log-in

  • Hidden
  • Hidden
    Do not fill this in

Published: 14 Jul 2017

Alexander Mann Solutions, Winner 2017, the Cross River Partnership Best Flexible Working Initiative Award

  • Specific business objective that ‘all roles can flex in some way’ to establish an agile workforce
  • Collaborative technology platforms introduced to give more team members the tools to work flexibly
  • Passionate promoters at all levels demonstrating company-wide support for flexibility

Talent acquisition and talent management leader Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS) last year launched a global flexible working programme to increase the take-up and consistency of flexible working. It placed flexible working at the heart of its global business strategy.

AMS set out to create a more agile workforce to respond to the changing demands of its global clients and embrace wider business trends. This includes support from chief executive Rosaleen Blair; educating employees and their managers on the benefits of flexible working; and enabling varying work patterns across its international operations.

The company conducted regional employee surveys to gauge the existing take-up of, appetite for and barriers/enablers to flexible working. It created a programme to gather data, build awareness, train staff and enhance technology ahead of a full rewrite of its flexible working policies.

The company encourages a wide range of working practices within its workforce including ‘liquid’ contractors and associates. A new technology platform enables meetings to take place remotely and a virtual training and development platform has been introduced.

Local champions and initiatives drive activity in the company’s major hubs, from Manila to Krakow and Cleveland to Bracknell. These offices have increased their flexible working uptake while growing in size. Steps taken include the reorganisation of office space to create more flexible hubs and hot-desking facilities.

AMS has a flexible working group on Yammer – 15 per cent of the workforce has joined. It has also filmed video case studies, sharing the benefits of working flexibly and offering advice.

In its 2016 flexible working survey, 48 per cent of UK respondents said they had a degree of flexibility – now 66 per cent in 2017. In Asia Pacific, this number grew from 25 to 54 per cent of respondents.

Significant change has been made and AMS intends to enhance this further.

“The progress made in 2016 is astounding.”

Quote from 2017 employee survey