Q&A: Flexible working

While some managers fear flexible working means lower productivity and less staff commitment, if managed correctly, the practice can boost output, reduce absenteeism and help you to retain key staff

Lynette Swift (LS), managing director of flexible-working consultancy Swiftwork, talks about the benefits of allowing employees to work irregular hours.

What is flexible working?

LS: "It's a work pattern that includes any of the following: working from home, changing hours of employment and flexitime schemes, as well as working the same hours as four long days rather than the traditional five-day week."

Are employers legally obliged to offer it?

LS: "By law, all employers are obliged to 'seriously consider' requests to work flexibly from employees with children under the age of six or disabled children under the age of 18. The request can be refused if the manager believes it will adversely affect the business. An employee can only make one request a year for flexible working and it must be in writing."

What benefits does it offer?

LS: "The most popular reason for introducing flexible working is staff retention. It helps employers keep valuable, experienced staff in their organisation and attract the best recruits.

"Many people won't be able to stay working for a business if they aren't offered flexible working. Without it, you risk losing staff. For example, one of our key staff members has childcare commitments, and if we didn't allow her to leave at 3pm each day to collect her kids, we'd risk losing a valuable member of staff. If flexible working is managed correctly, it can cut costs by reducing staff turnover and absenteeism and boosting productivity."

So it can reduce absenteeism?

"Flexible working usually leads to lower absenteeism. For example, if someone needs to wait at home for the plumber until 11am, they will just ask and work later. Without this kind of arrangement, they may be off for the whole day."

Isn't there a risk staff will be less productive?

LS: "It's a good idea to start off on a trial basis. Pick a couple of things you can use to measure the productivity of staff working flexibly, such as the number of calls they answer or how many accounts they process. If employees don't maintain productivity levels, you can take action. Of course, it must be made clear to everyone that the business is paramount and they have to understand that their work-life balance shouldn't be at the cost of someone else's."