Changes to employee’s rights around flexible working have come into force recently. Since the 6th of April 2024, employees now have the right, by law, to ask their employer for flexible working. The new act gained Royal Assent in July 2023 with the intention of opening up opportunities for employees to be granted more flexible working to ease modern-day challenges and busy lifestyles.
We examine how the flexible working legislation is evolving and what it means for businesses and their staff.
What is the new flexible working law?
The new legislation on flexible working means that From April 2024, all employees can request flexible working from their first day of employment, a change from the current requirement of 26 weeks. Research by CIPD found that only 14% of employers offered this before the legislation was put in place.
These changes form a part of a broader set of workers lifestyle laws, including those around shared parental leave, adoption, as well as extended redundancy protection for those on maternity, or shared parental leave.
The new Flexible Working Act mandates employers to consult with employees before rejecting flexible working requests. Employers must now respond within two months, down from three, and employees can make two requests per year instead of one. Additionally, employees no longer need to justify the impact of their request on the employer, or make suggestions on how to address it.
While the legislation has been in effect for a number of months already, workforce awareness of these new rights is low, with ACAS revealing that 70% of employees are unaware of their entitlement.
What does the new flexible working law mean for businesses?
At a time when around 4 million UK employees have changed careers on the grounds of a lack of flexibility, businesses have no choice but to take note. Here are three ways in which businesses can implement the changes and benefit from a smooth transition.
Advocating for a more flexible future:
Employers should use the new flexible working laws to re-evaluate and evolve their current operations. Businesses must be aware of the challenges that come with offering flexibility, such as technology investments for remote working, workplace restructuring and refurbishments, but most importantly, employers must learn to shift to value employee output rather than traditional presenteeism and hours worked. With employees increasingly calling out for better flexibility in the workplace, it’s crucial for businesses to embrace the new legislation for the benefit of their employee satisfaction, longevity and talent diversity.
Finding the right balance and fostering fair flexibility:
Although not every role will lend itself to flexibility, businesses need to step into the new flexible working future with an open mind. In the case of a request rejection, businesses currently have eight reasons for legitimately refusing a request, but employers should seriously consider the long-term impact of this. Finding a solution that offers balance and fairness for your entire workforce is key, and this will mean you showcase your company values for employee wellbeing and attract the best talent in the long run.
Offering communication and clarity:
70% of employees are unaware of the new flexible working entitlement. That means, businesses have work to do when it comes to communicating with their workforce. While the new legislation improves their rights as an employee, there’s essentially no guarantee that requests for flexible working will be granted. Employers need to clearly communicate the level of flexibility available to the workforce through clear, consistent communication.
How implementing the right flexible benefits platform could benefit businesses
Offering a comprehensive flexible benefits platform could make life significantly easier for businesses looking to offer more flexibility for their workforce. Being able to foster a culture of fairness and openness means having the right tools in place for employees to work remotely, or in a hybrid capacity, and understand what’s available to them in terms of their rights, and their rewards.
The best flexible benefits platforms are built with communication in mind, meaning employees don’t ever have to be left in the dark about what their value is to the business.
Whether you offer flexibility in the form of hybrid or remote working, or you want to focus on offering the best rewards in a workplace where teams come together in person every day, our comprehensive solution allows you to put your employees back in the driver’s seat, giving them the flexibility and ownership they desire.
Get in touch today to talk through how we could help you offer the right workplace rewards for your business.
