More than a fifth (21 percent) of employees have successfully requested flexible working since the Flexible Working Act was introduced in April 2024.
However, the same proportion (21 percent) say they have had flexible work requests declined during their working lifetime by their current or previous employer.
Within the group of employees that reported having flexible work requests rejected, 28 percent of refusals were due to employer concerns that the change would lead to a fall in productivity.
This is despite 68 percent of workers reporting that they would be more efficient if they worked flexibly by having control over their working hours and where they worked, according to research from Phoenix Group, a major UK savings and retirement business.
The findings have been published as the Flexible Working Act, which gave workers the right to request flexible working from day one, marked its first year anniversary.
The research revealed that while more workers are taking up flexible arrangements, many still face significant barriers.
Researchers highlighted challenges around employer awareness, engagement and perceptions about productivity.
Flexibility at work can mean different things to different people and previous research from Phoenix Insights (a think tank set up by Phoenix Group) in 2023 found that 62 percent of workers wanted flexibility over their hours worked, while 43 percent wanted flexibility over where they worked. This shows a disconnect between worker and employer wants and needs, the think tank said.
Further reasons for requests being denied included workers feeling their employer doesn’t believe in flexibility (27 percent), employers saying that business needs outweigh flexibility (24 percent) and a lack of resources to support flexible work arrangements (21 percent).
Researchers found most workers had not changed their working arrangements since the law came into force.
Only 15 percent of employees had made changes in the past year, while more than three quarters (78 percent) had continued to work within their existing arrangements.
Among the employees that had changed their work patterns, the most common change has been working full-time with the option to work remotely (57 percent), with men (65 percent) more likely than women (45 percent) to have made this change.
Researchers said that awareness of the right to request changes remains a key challenge despite the law making it easier for employees to request flexible working.
More than half (55 percent) of workers do not know what the Flexible Working Act entitles them to, while 36 percent report that their employer or manager has never proactively discussed it.
Sara Thompson, chief people officer at Phoenix Group, said: “The introduction of the Flexible Working Act is an important tool to help workers balance their jobs with other responsibilities and interests outside of work. It’s therefore disappointing that many are facing barriers with some employers worried about how flexibility could impact on a worker’s productivity. As the demand for flexibility grows, it is in employers’ best interests to engage proactively with their workforce and, where possible, to enable their workers to work in a flexible way, alongside managing business needs.
“Those businesses that fail to embrace flexible working risk losing talent, particularly among parents, carers, and older workers who can benefit most from greater flexibility. At Phoenix, we have fostered an environment where flexible working is the norm. Through facilitating more and better discussions, employers can tap into the potential of a diverse workforce, with flexibility having a positive impact on colleague engagement and also, ultimately helping people stay in employment for as long as they want and need while saving for their futures.”
