Flexible working: A day one right to request
CIPD has launched Flex From 1st. A campaign to make flexible working more accessible for all, by calling on organisations and government to make the right to request flexible working a day one right.
New CIPD research has found that flexible working practices in Britain aren’t fair. British workers face inequality due to a marked difference in the way employers approach flexible working, with nearly half (46%) of employees saying they do not have access to flexible working arrangements as part of their current role.
Flexible working practices cover a wide variety of different working arrangements – such as homeworking, flexi-time, part-time working, compressed hours and job-shares.
The CIPD’s survey of over 2000 employees found that while the Coronavirus pandemic has caused a large increase in homeworking, 44% of employees have not worked from home at all since the beginning of the crisis. It also found that those who don’t work flexibly are twice as likely to be dissatisfied with their job and work-life balance.
This has often meant those in essential and lower paid front-line jobs are not able to work from home, and it is crucial that these workers are not left behind when it comes to flexible working. The benefits of flexible working – for both employers and employees – are well established, and the CIPD want the opportunities to benefit from these arrangements to be made more equal.
The CIPD is also calling for a change in UK law, to make flexible working requests a day-one right for all employees, regardless of their sector, geography or level of seniority. Currently British law states that employees can only request to work flexibly after 26 weeks of employment and are limited to one request a year.
Click here for more information about the campaign, related resources and to pledge your support.
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Useful Links to Further Information
- THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT (BIFM)- Founded in 1993, BIFM is a professional body for facilities management, both individuals and organisations.
- FIRST POINT ASSESSMENT (FPAL)- Is a supplier management community supporting the European oil and gas industry.
- THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (CIEH)- A charity that is the professional and leading voice for environmental and public health and safety.
- INSTITUTE OF HOSPITALITY- A professional membership group that provides support and information for those who work or study in the hospitality and tourism industries.
- FOOD STANDARD AGENCY (FSA)- The governmental department responsible for food safety and hygiene throughout the UK.
- THE UNIVERSITY CATERERS ORGANISATION (TUCO)- TUCO is a professional membership group for in-house caterers within the higher education sector, and is one of the leading organisations of its kind in the UK.
- BRITISH HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION (BHA)- An agenda-setter and members organisation for the hospitality and tourism industry that helps to promote the interest of operators, brands and owners across the hospitality and tourism sectors.
- ROYAL SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH (RSPH)- An independent and multi-disciplinary charity who’s mission is to improve public health and wellbeing.
- INTERNATIONAL FACILITY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (IFMA)- An international association for facilities management professionals, supporting 24,000 members in 105 countries.
