New EOC advice on dealing with flexible working requests

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

New EOC advice on dealing with flexible working requests

Flexible working will be on every employer's agenda from April 2003. Parents of children under six, or disabled children under 18, will have the right to request to work flexibly and to have these requests considered seriously by their employer. The Equal Opportunities Commission has published a series of guidance notes to help managers respond to requests.

The Equal Opportunities Commission's ten top tips for employers

1. Treat all requests objectively and with sensitivity: Few individuals will make a request without thinking through the impact on themselves and their jobs.

2. Be consistent: Employers should treat all requests - from men and women - in the same way.

3. Reply promptly: The law sets out the time limits by which you must reply to any requests under the new rights.

4. Explain your reasons clearly: If you turn down a request, you will have to explain why you are doing so in writing, giving clear business reasons.

5. Develop a flexible working policy: This will help with consistency and helps to clarify expectations on both sides.

6. Be open to flexible working in all jobs, including those at management level. There are few jobs that cannot be adapted to flexible working, often bringing benefits to the employer as well as to the employee.

7. Include all staff, not just parents of young children: Parents of children over six, people caring for an elderly relative or those with active outside interests may all benefit from flexible working.

8. Publicise your policy: Flexible working is increasingly popular and should increase employee motivation and loyalty. You also want to make sure that your managers and supervisors know what your policy is, so that it is correctly applied.

9. Monitor the impact: Keep a record of requests to work flexibly and your response, so that you can monitor the impact of your policy.

10. Want to know more? For more information check out other pages on the EOC web site.

Source: Equal Opportunities Commission, www.eoc.org.uk.

Want to know more?

Six new reports have been added to the EOC web site:

  • Flexible working: new rights for parents
Information on new rights from April 2003 under the Employment Act 2002.
  • How to treat requests to work flexibly: ten top tips
Advice from the EOC on responding to requests from employees who want to work flexibly.
  • Guidance for managers on flexible working
Practical steps for managers in considering requests for flexible working.
  • Flexible working: case studies
Some examples of flexible working practice.
  • Flexible working: new rights for parents   
From April 2003, parents of children younger than six, or younger than 18 in the case of disabled children, will have the right to apply for flexible working. More information is available in this PDF document.
  • How to manage flexibility in the workplace
Provides information and guidance on managing flexible working.

 

To download these reports, free of charge, visit the EOC web site at www.eoc.org.uk/EOCeng/dynpages/Working_Hours2.asp

Posted 26 February 2003