How to apply for flexible working

The Covid-19 crisis has seen many of us having to be increasingly flexible to balance multiple commitments such as childcare, remote learning and changes in routine. Thankfully, many workplaces embraced it.

For many others, this hasn’t been the case. Perhaps you work in a more rigid structure where you’re expected to clock in and out at fixed times; or you have to work the allocated hours of your boss; or you’re now being phased back into the workplace post-lockdown.

There are many reasons why organisations are reluctant to offer or provide flexible working, often centring around fears for reductions in productivity.

In reality, flexible working – as thousands of employers have discovered during the pandemic – can offer all sorts of benefits to both employee and employer.

The key thing is to make sure that flexible working is implemented in a thorough and systematic way. Lay the necessary groundwork, and you’ll see changes that can work well for all parties. (CMI members should look at Checklist 026 in ManagementDirect, which is an introduction to implementing flexible working hours.)

For many, the fear of asking for flexible working practices can put them off applying – but to help you on the way, we’ve created a simple starter guide to help you through the process. Using advice from Gov UK, Citizens Advice and ACAS, here are some helpful tips on how you can make a formal application for flexible working – perhaps in a workplace where this isn’t the norm. We do recommend reading all the advice available to you.

Your flexible working rights

Written into UK legislation, if you have a reason for requesting flexible hours, as of August 2023 you can file a statutory request from your first day of employment, which your employer should handle in a reasonable manner.

What changes are you requesting?

Think about and define clearly the change you’d like to your working practices. There are many aspects of flexible working, so it’s a good idea to have thought about the specifics before talking to your manager.

Consider, for example, the following types of flexible working, outlined on the GOV UK site:

• Job-sharing or altering your working day to compressed hours – where you work the same amount of hours, but over fewer days – could allow you to complete your work commitments alongside family and home commitments.
• If your organisation is beginning to go back into work, but you feel unsafe doing so, can you continue to do the majority of your work from home? Requesting remote working may be right for you, or requesting staggered hours so you’re surrounded by fewer people but are still going into work.
• Are you homeschooling, volunteering, or caring for family members? Flexitime could enable you to work core hours while keeping more time free for these other responsibilities.

Citizens Advice has created a useful list of questions to ask yourself when considering the changes you’d like to make to your contract...

Do you need a statutory application?

If the change you’re requesting is minor (ie, changing your start and finishing times) or temporary, then you may not need to make a statutory application. This means you can approach your manager more informally to discuss a solution that works for you and your team. Remind them that the changes you’re suggesting will enable you to perform better in your job, and that the benefits of flexible working are far-reaching.

A statutory application is usually for those changes that will involve amending your contract with permanent, big changes, or for a change to your working practice which is defined in The Equality Act 2010. This is a more formal application (which you may need to file using an employer-specific form or process) – but a discussion with your manager beforehand should help you decide which route to follow. There are, of course, pros and cons for both routes: you can find out more about these here.

What to include in your request

There are a few details that must be included in your request. Unless your employer specifies a form to use, write a letter or email stating the following:

• The date
• An opening sentence stating that this is a statutory request
• Details of how you want to work flexibly (ie, what changes you are asking for) and when you want these changes to be in place
• Whether you are requesting a change that relates to The Equality Act 2010 – ie, these changes are to make your working practices reasonable for any disability you have
• A statement saying if and when you’ve made a previous application
• An explanation of how you believe these changes may affect the business and how this could be dealt with – eg, if you want to have flexible hours, you will need to communicate with all team members and external liaisons so they know when they are able to contact you, so a solution could be that you have an out of office auto-response on at all times you’re not working (Note: as of August 2023, under the Flexible Working Bill, it is no longer necessary to explain this.)

What to expect next

If you’ve filed a statutory request, your employer must get back to you within two months (as of August 2023, under the Flexible Working Bill) with a decision on your suggested changes, and their response should follow the ACAS guidelines for a reasonable response.

If it’s a non-statutory request, there’s no specified timeline, so the process could be quicker or slower.

After you’ve filed your request, your manager may set up a meeting to discuss the changes in more detail, such as why you are requesting them, the concerns they have as your manager, and the benefits.