Flexible and hybrid working policy templates

Flexible and hybrid 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.

• Eligibility: Employers must ensure that any eligibility criteria for flexible or hybrid working arrangements do not discriminate against employees based on their protected characteristics such as age, gender, or disability.

• Discrimination: Employers must ensure that they do not discriminate against employees who request flexible or hybrid working arrangements. This includes not treating them less favorably than employees who work traditional hours or are office-based.

• Health and safety: Employers have a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of their employees, including those who work remotely or outside of regular office hours. This includes carrying out risk assessments and providing appropriate equipment and training.

• Communication: Employers must ensure that employees who work remotely or outside of regular office hours are able to communicate effectively with their colleagues and managers. This may involve providing appropriate technology or software.

• Working time regulations: Employers must ensure that employees who work remotely or outside of regular office hours are not working excessive hours or breaching the Working Time Regulations.

• Data protection: Employers must ensure that they comply with data protection laws when employees work remotely or outside of regular office hours. This may involve implementing appropriate security measures and providing training to employees.

• Monitoring: Employers must be mindful of the potential for monitoring employees who work remotely or outside of regular office hours. Any monitoring must be necessary, proportionate, and comply with data protection laws.

• Right to request: Employees have a statutory right make two request flexible working requests per year. Employers must consider all such requests in a reasonable manner and can only reject requests on specific grounds set out in the law.

Here are some complex but often common Flexible and hybrid working-related workplace scenarios that I have successfully helped to resolve, using the resources in this toolkit alongside some direct advice.

I show you the steps we took to manage each specific case, sharing insights on proactive measures to minimise and mitigate the risk of recurrence.

• How do I handle an employee's refusal to return to the office from a long-standing working from home agreement?