Article
08 December, 2022
The Government has recently published their response to the Consultation on Making Flexible Working the Default, which closed around 12 months ago.
Key takeaways, which are a must for HR professionals and managers to be aware of, are that the Government has committed to:
Flexible working has without doubt continued and grown in importance for most employees and employers since the UK emerged from the Covid lockdowns and the overwhelming majority of the Consultation responses indicated support for flexible working and the benefits it brings.
The Consultation had responses from individuals, employers, and other bodies including think tanks, charities and advisory groups, though the results show that all groups of respondents recognised the importance of flexible working in supporting individuals into work, and respondents also acknowledged that flexible working can be beneficial to employers too.
It is unclear when the changes will be made via legislation and in force, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on. We advise that employers review their current flexible working request procedure and policies now to ensure they are prepared to implement the changes in due course, most notably being prepared to respond to requests in the shorter time frame of 2 months and being prepared and able to consider and discuss alternative arrangements before rejecting any request.
For any support with your current flexible working practices, or how to implement the forthcoming changes, please do not hesitate to contact Alice McKenna.
For more information contact Alice McKenna in our Employment & HR department via email or phone on 01254 222373. Alternatively send any question through to Forbes Solicitors via our online Contact Form.
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