Millions of people stand to benefit from new employee rights that mean they can request flexible working from day one in a job, the CIPD has said.
From today (Saturday 6 April, 2024), employees can ask an employer for changes to how long, when and where they work that potentially make permanent changes to their employment contract from the first day in a new job.
“Flexibility around time, scheduling and place of work can be transformative in opening up opportunities for people to get into and stay in work, especially those who have health conditions, caring responsibilities, or other life choices they want to make,” said Peter Cheese, CIPD CEO and co-chair of the government’s flexible working taskforce.
“With an aging population, and rising levels of economically inactive people due to ill health, flexible working is more important than ever, and has been shown to support better wellbeing, making it good for individuals as well as organisations.”
As well as enshrining the day one right to request flexibility, the new legislation means employees making a request will no longer have to explain what effect they think their flexible work request would have on the employer and how that might be managed.
Employees can now make two requests in any 12-month period rather than one. And employers must consult the employee before they reject a request. The time scale for employers to make a decision about a request has also been shortened from three to two months.
Cheese said that the pandemic had accelerated the understanding of flexible working, and the demand for it, adding that many organisations have responded positively by introducing more flexible working policies.
“Employees are often better able to balance their work needs with their personal life, while employers report being able to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce which can flex to business needs. Managed well, it’s a win-win for both.”
Cheese continued: “While many organisations will already be familiar with remote and hybrid working, this new right can help to normalise conversations about flexibility in all its forms.
“Organisations should see it as positive encouragement for how jobs and workplaces can be shaped to support different forms of flexible working.
“Being proactive in providing different ways people can work flexibly will be crucial in ensuring that all employees have access to flexible opportunities. This will be particularly important for those in roles that tie them to a place of work, who don’t have the option to work from home.”
Cheese said that the CIPD has been calling for the day-one right since February 2021 through the institute’s ‘Flex from First’ campaign.
