5.2. Flexible Working Options (Preview)

Flexible working can be any type of working pattern which is different from the existing one and employer and employee should think together creatively about how the change could work for both parties.

Part-time Work: Part-time work is when employees are contracted to work anything less than full-time hours. It is the most common type of flexible working.

Changing Working Hours: It can be any changes in the employee’s working pattern, for example changing the weekend hours to weekday hours or changing working hours to fit in with, for example, school hours, college hours or care arrangements.

Compressed Hours: Compressed hours mean working the employee’s usual hours in fewer days of work. The fewer, but longer working blocks during the week releases some more days for the employee.

Staggered Hours: This allows the employee to start and finish at different times from other workers.

Annualised Hours: This means that working time is organised around the number of hours to be worked over a year rather than over a week. Annualised hours work best when there is a rise and fall in workload during the year.

Flexi-time: Allows employees to choose, within certain set limits, when to begin and end work within agreed core times.

Home Working or Teleworking: Allows employees regularly working from home and maintains contacts with employer, team and clients from home. Jobs also can be relocated to places where it is more attractive, more convenient or reduce the costs.

Job-sharing: It is a form of part-time working where two (or occasionally more) people share the responsibility for a job between them.

Self-rostering: This is most often found in hospitals and care services. Employees put forward the times they would like to work. Once staff levels and skills are worked out, the shift pattern is drawn up matching the employees’ preferences as closely as possible.

Shift Working: The employee works set hours, but within a 24 hour period replacing another employee who is doing the same job.

Time Off in Lieu: Some employers give their employees time off instead of paying for overtime. This is known as ‘time off in lieu’. The terms (e.g. when it can be taken) are agreed between employee and employer.

Term-time Work: The employee doesn’t work during the school holidays, but remains on a permanent contract. The planned non-working periods are the combination of annual leave and unpaid leave.

Temporary Working and Fixed-term Contracts: A temporary worker is someone employed for a limited period and whose job is usually expected by both sides to last for only a short time. Temporary workers may be employed directly by the employer or by private agencies. Agencies will recruit, select and sometimes train temporary workers and hire them out to employers.

Career Breaks: Career breaks or sabbaticals are extended periods of leave. Normally unpaid and the contract remains valid.

Commissioned Outcomes: This means no fixed hours, but only an output target that an individual is working towards.

Phased Retirement: Phased retirement gives more flexibility to employees on how and when they want to retire. This means for example that they can reduce their hours and work part time or carry on working.

Allocated Days for Hospital Appointments: A number of days are allocated to all staff e.g. 5 days within a financial year for hospital appointments for dependants. Each staff decides how they want to use it.

Variable Hours: The employee has no fixed working hours and pattern.

REFERENCES: ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) available at: www.acas.org.uk; GOV.UK available at: www.gov.uk; Citizen Advice available at: www.citizensadvice.org.uk.