Only 44 per cent of UK workers, up from 39 per cent in February, have discussed flexible working with their manager, despite a new April 2024 law allowing requests from day one, according to Phoenix Insights.
On 6 April 2024, the right to request flexible working became a day-one right, removing the need for six months of service before making a request.
According to the research, workers over 55 were the least likely to have these discussions before the law (26 per cent), and this has not changed considerably since (24 per cent).
As of August 2024, 54 per cent of 18-34-year-olds and 46 per cent of 35-54-year-olds had discussed flexible working arrangements.
Flexibility is especially crucial for senior employees, with 73 per cent of those over 55 prioritising it, compared to 57 per cent of those aged 18 to 34 and 60 per cent of those aged 35 to 54.
Additionally, three-quarters of employees are fairly confident in discussing flexible working with their bosses, up from 67 per cent earlier this year, but just 36 per cent are very confident—a tiny increase from 33 per cent before to the law. Furthermore, women place a higher value on flexibility (67 per cent vs. 56 per cent for males).
Phoenix Group group HR director Sara Thompson says: “It’s encouraging to see some improvement in the visibility of flexible work arrangements following the introduction of the right to request it earlier this year, with more people discussing these options with their managers, and feeling comfortable doing so.
“However, it’s clear the impact has not been as significant as it might have been. There are still far too many people who are not having these conversations in their workplaces, particularly among the over 50s age group, and who do not feel comfortable in engaging in them, potentially harming their ability to remain and thrive in good work.
“The right to request flexible working, although a positive step, is not enough by itself – employers must go further to make sure employees are fully aware of their rights and offer as much flexibility in working arrangements as they can”.
Phoenix Insights head of public engagement & campaigns Cath Sermonat says: “Flexible working can be a game changer for workers enabling them to balance work alongside caring responsibilities, or to better manage their physical and mental health. Flexible hours are also particularly important to employees aged 50 and over, playing a vital role in helping them think differently about when and how they work, earn, save and retire.
“However, we know that making flexible work operate in practice needs planning, trust and good conversations between managers and employees. The concept of the eight-hour working day is over 200 years old so now is the time for employers and managers to be more imaginative about how to flex requirements and ensure that the legislative change makes a meaningful difference to their employees.
“That’s why it’s crucial for employers to do more to equip and encourage these important conversations to happen and to share best practice from across their organisations to help normalise and empower employees to stay in work for longer.”
