Flexible working policy templates

What are Flexible and Hybrid Working Policies?

Flexible working policies are guidelines and procedures that outline an employer's approach to allowing employees to work outside of the traditional office-based, 9-5 work model. These policies typically cover a range of issues related to flexible and hybrid working, including remote work, flexible work schedules, and job sharing arrangements.

Flexible working refers to any arrangement that allows an employee to adjust their working hours, patterns, or location to better fit their personal circumstances. This might include working from home, working part-time, or having flexible start and finish times. Hybrid working is a type of flexible working that involves a mix of office-based and remote work.

By establishing clear and comprehensive flexible and hybrid working policies, employers can help ensure that their employees have the flexibility they need to balance work and personal responsibilities, while still meeting the needs of the business.

Flexible working templates are essential for clearly defining company policies and setting consistent employee expectations around Flexible working arrangements.

Common mistakes

Understand the common mistakes employers can make when managing this area of HR, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled fairly, consistently and correctly.

• Making flexible working too informal – Allowing arrangements to develop without clear expectations or appropriate documentation.
• Ignoring statutory requests – Failing to manage formal flexible working requests through the appropriate process.
• Applying inconsistent standards – Allowing flexibility for some employees while refusing comparable arrangements without justification.
• Failing to define availability – Leaving employees and managers unclear about working hours and communication expectations.
• Ignoring health and safety – Failing to consider risks associated with remote or hybrid working.
• Assuming remote means unsupervised – Failing to establish appropriate performance and communication arrangements.
• Failing to review arrangements – Allowing working patterns to continue even when they no longer work effectively.
• Using outdated policy wording – Failing to keep the handbook aligned with current flexible working requirements.

FAQs

What is a flexible working policy?

A flexible working policy explains how the organisation manages flexible working arrangements and employee requests.

What types of flexible working can employees request?

Flexible working can include changes to hours, working patterns, part-time work, compressed hours and other arrangements.

Do employees have a statutory right to request flexible working?

Eligible employees have a statutory right to request flexible working. Employers must follow the applicable statutory process when considering requests.

Can an employer refuse a flexible working request?

Yes, requests can be refused for one or more permitted business reasons. The employer should follow the required process.

Should flexible working arrangements be reviewed?

Regular reviews can help ensure arrangements continue to work for both the employee and organisation.

Why use HRDocBox to support flexible working?

HRDocBox combines real-world HR experience, subject-matter expertise and commercial understanding to support effective flexible working arrangements with practical, tried-and-tested resources. With instant access, editable documents, ongoing updates and 12 months' access, you get practical HR support when you need it.