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View full libraryThis Flexible Working Policy sets out how the organisation receives, considers and responds to employee requests for flexible working. It helps UK employers establish a fair, consistent process that balances employee needs with operational requirements, supports employee wellbeing and promotes effective working arrangements.
Use this policy to:
If you are reviewing your flexible working arrangements, these flexible working policy templates give you a practical set of policies covering requests, consideration, decisions and review.
1 Overview
1.1 [Company Name] recognises that flexible working can support employee wellbeing, work-life balance, recruitment and retention, while helping the organisation meet its operational and customer service requirements.
1.2 This policy explains how employees can request flexible working and how the organisation will consider and respond to those requests. All requests will be considered reasonably, consistently and in accordance with applicable employment law.
1.3 Flexible working is not automatically available in every role or in every form. The organisation will consider each request on its individual merits, taking account of the employee's circumstances, the nature of the work and the needs of the business.
2 Scope
2.1 This policy applies to employees of [Company Name] in Great Britain. It covers statutory flexible working requests and provides a framework for considering other requests for changes to working arrangements.
2.2 Employees can make a statutory flexible working request from their first day of employment. This policy does not replace any separate legal entitlement, including the duty to consider reasonable adjustments for disabled employees.
2.3 Agency workers, contractors and other individuals who are not employees may not have the same statutory right to make a flexible working request, although the organisation may consider appropriate working arrangements where practicable.
Where an employee works in Northern Ireland, the organisation will apply the relevant Northern Ireland legislation and procedure rather
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Flexible working can help employees balance work with personal responsibilities, improve wellbeing and support retention. It can also help employers attract talent, extend service coverage and make better use of working time. Effective arrangements require clear expectations, fair consideration of requests and a realistic assessment of operational needs.
This policy gives employers a consistent framework for managing flexible working requests, from the initial application through to consultation, the decision and any subsequent review. It can be adapted to suit different roles, working environments and business requirements.
Flexible working can involve changes to working hours, working times or the place of work. Examples include part-time working, flexitime, compressed hours, job sharing, annualised hours, term-time working, hybrid working and homeworking. Not every arrangement will be suitable for every role, but requests should be considered on their individual merits.
Employees should make a statutory request in writing and explain the change they are seeking, when they want it to begin and the relevant details required by law. Managers should acknowledge the request, arrange a discussion unless they can agree to it in full, and consider the practical effects of the proposed arrangement. Where the original request cannot be accommodated, alternatives should be explored with the employee where appropriate.
Requests should be handled reasonably, with a final decision communicated within two months of the request unless a longer period is agreed with the employee. A statutory request must be agreed unless there is a genuine business reason for refusing it. Any refusal must be based on one or more of the permitted statutory business grounds and should be explained clearly in writing.
Although there is no automatic statutory right of appeal against a flexible working decision, offering an appeal is good practice. An appeal should be considered impartially, preferably by a manager who was not involved in the original decision.
Where a statutory request is agreed, the change will normally become a contractual change to the employee's terms and conditions. The organisation should confirm the agreed working pattern, start date and any relevant arrangements in writing. If a trial period is agreed, its duration, review criteria and intended outcome should be documented.
Managers should monitor the effectiveness of agreed arrangements fairly and consistently, taking account of the employee's performance, service delivery and team requirements. Any later changes should be discussed with the employee and handled in accordance with the contract, company policy and applicable law.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Flexible working policy should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
In Great Britain, employees can make a statutory flexible working request from their first day of employment. They can make up to two requests in any 12-month period and may have only one live statutory request at a time. Northern Ireland has a different legal framework.
The employer must make and communicate the decision, including any appeal, within two months of receiving the request unless a longer period is agreed with the employee. Requests should be handled reasonably and without unnecessary delay.
Yes, but a statutory request can be refused only for one or more of the permitted business reasons. The employer must consult the employee before refusing, consider the request fairly and explain the decision and reasons in writing.
There is no general statutory right of appeal against a flexible working decision, but offering an appeal is good practice under the ACAS Code. If an appeal is offered, it should be considered impartially and completed within the statutory decision period unless an extension is agreed.
Where a statutory request is agreed, the employer must change the relevant contractual terms to reflect the arrangement. The effective date and agreed working pattern should be confirmed in writing, including any other terms that are changing.
HRDocBox provides practical, customisable HR resources designed to help UK employers apply consistent people-management processes. This policy gives employers a structured starting point for handling flexible working requests while identifying the key consultation, decision-making and record-keeping requirements.
HRDocBox provides a ready-to-adapt policy structure with practical process guidance and references to official sources. AI can help tailor the policy to an organisation, but employers still need to check current legislation, contractual arrangements and their operational requirements before adopting it.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Flexible working policy template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing flexible working HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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