Flexible Working: The Real Pros and Cons

Following employment law solicitor Philip Landau's look at what flexible working time is and how to apply for it, we look at both the pros and the cons of putting it into practice.

Are flexible working rights a good thing?

As always, there are pros and cons:-

Pros

• Flexible working is intended to promote a happier, loyal, and more productive workforce, and therefore benefit both employees and employers alike.
• There are likely to be reduced sick days.
• Flexible working is a perk that could encourage talented job-seekers to work for a particular company.
• It can help enable employers to avoid redundancies.
• It shows that a company is progressive and listening to the needs of its staff.
• There is a cost saving to employers, who may be able to save office rental and ancillary expenses with more employees working at home. “Hot-desking “ is usually also more economical.
• Employees can save on commuting time and costs.
• It enables an employer to handle more business outside normal office hours. 
• A more diverse workforce is possible.
• Modern technology means remote working is far more achievable now than ever before.

Cons

• Employers may have difficulty dealing with competing requests to work flexibly. ACAS has suggested employers may wish to “put names in a hat”.
• Employers could lay themselves open to discrimination claims if they only agree flexible working requests for parents and carers, or vice versa. They will need to make “value judgements” that are not limited to the personal reasons behind the request.
• There could be resentment amongst staff who have had their requests denied, whilst others have been accepted.
• Employers may feel a lack of control and/or awareness of the work being carried out on a flexible basis.
• A lack of contact with colleagues at the office could limit the cohesiveness of teams and exchange of ideas.
• There may be communication breakdowns if it is difficult to get hold of staff which may impact on the co-ordination of projects/meetings/phone calls.

Additional Reading:

• A guide to creating a healthy and productive workspace at home

DISCLAIMER

The information and any commentary on the law on this web site is provided free of charge for information purposes only. Every reasonable effort is made to make the information and commentary accurate and up to date, but no responsibility for its accuracy and correctness, or for any consequences of relying upon it, is assumed by either Morgan McKinley or Landau Law. The information and commentary does not, and is not intended to, amount to legal advice to any person on a specific case or matter. You are strongly advised to obtain specific, personal advice from a solicitor about your case or matter and not to rely on the information or comments on this site.