Pros And Cons Of Flexible Work
Following the views of employment lawyer Philip Landau about flexible working time and how you can apply for the same, here is a look at some of the pros and cons of taking up flexible working time and putting it into practice.
From June 30th, 2014, employees with at least 26 weeks of continuous working for their employers will be able to request flexible working. Up to this point, it’s only been available to those with children under the age of 17 or 18 if the child has a disability – or who care for adult dependents.
Are The Flexible Working Rights Good?
As you would have it, these rights have both pros and cons:
Pros
- Flexible working rights intend to promote a loyal, more productive, and happier workforce, and should, therefore, benefit both the employers and employees. They are likely to be turned into sick days.
- Flexible working is one perk that may encourage talented job seekers to work for particular companies.
- It may make it possible for employers to avoid some redundancies
- It shows that companies are progressive and that they actually listen to their staff’s needs.
- There’s a cost-saving for employers as it may allow them to save office ancillary and rental expenses since more employees are working from home. Hot desking is often more economical.
- It makes it possible for employers to handle more business outside the normal working hours.
- Employees should be able to save more on commuting costs and time.
- It creates a more diverse workforce
- Modern technology is making it possible for people to work remotely
Cons
- Employers may have a hard time dealing with competing requests for flexible working. ACAS suggests that employers could opt to put names in a hat.
- Employers may leave themselves susceptible to discrimination claims especially when they only agree to flexible working for carers and parents, or vice versa. They’ll need to make some “value judgements” that aren’t limited to personal reasons behind a person’s request.
- There could be some form of resentment amongst staff members who’ve had their requests denied while those of others have been accepted.
- Lack of contact amongst colleagues at the office may limit the exchange of ideas and the cohesiveness of a team.
- Employers could feel a lack of awareness and control of the work being performed on a flexible basis.
- Flexible working may lead to communication breakdowns if it’s difficult to get a hold of staff members. And this may have an impact on the coordination of meetings, projects and phone calls.
