Over half of UK firms agree flexible working should be a right from day one

The majority of employers in the UK believe that flexible working should be a right from the first day of employment, finds a new report.

The findings are part of the CIPD’s response to the government’s flexible working consultation. The CIPD first launched its #FlexFrom1st campaign in February, calling for all employees to have the right to request flexible working from day one in their role, and has been campaigning for the change throughout the year.

Over 1,000 UK employers were surveyed for the report and the results show that larger organisations (those with 250+ employees) were more likely to agree with flexible working rights from day one than SMEs (62% compared to 51%).

Other findings show that 42% will be more likely to grant requests for flexible working, besides working from home, once pandemic restrictions have been relaxed, compared to before Covid-19; just seven per cent of employers said they would be less likely to.

Thirty-six per cent of organisations already accept requests for flexible working from the first day of employment.

Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, said, “It’s clear that the pandemic has accelerated the move to more flexible working and that now is the time to move away from ways of working that have barely changed for generations. While hybrid and remote working are hugely beneficial to employees whose jobs allow this, there is much more that can be done for those who must attend their place of work.

“Flexibility is about more than where someone works, it must also be about when and how people work. Flexible working is good for inclusion and providing opportunities for people who want or need to be able to work more flexibly, as well as being good for their overall wellbeing and performance.

“A day-one right to request will require employers to think about how jobs can be done flexibly, and encourage them to promote jobs and roles as open to flexible working. This will not only better meet the changing expectations of employees, but also help to attract more diverse talent giving more opportunity and choice to all.”

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