Half of employees say they’re able to benefit from new versatile working legal guidelines

Companies are being suggested to brace themselves as a brand new ballot claims greater than half (55 p.c) of respondents are planning to make a brand new request for versatile working when new guidelines come into UK legislation this weekend. The adjustments launched by the Versatile Working Invoice on April 6 – permitting employees to ask for versatile types of work from day one in all their employment (beforehand six months)  – look set to result in a pointy improve in versatile working requests though 74 p.c of workers report already having some extent of flexibility. 

The analysis carried out amongst 1,000 UK desk employees by Slack, got down to ‘assist companies anticipate what the rule adjustments might imply to them and higher perceive worker expectations in terms of work’. Right now, many such workers repeatedly earn a living from home (56 p.c), have versatile working days (54 p.c), or work a four-day week (30 p.c). But 1 / 4 of individuals (25 p.c) should not presently supplied versatile working.

The vast majority of desk primarily based employees consider the power to work flexibly boosts their productiveness (80 p.c) and can assist their firm develop faster (74 p.c). But the highest causes for workers believing their employers have declined requests for versatile work, are because of considerations it might negatively impression productiveness (17 p.c) and work high quality ranges (17 p.c).

Companies that don’t meet worker expectations in terms of flexibility danger shedding expertise. 70 p.c of employees usually tend to apply for a job primarily based on the corporate’s versatile working coverage – rising to 76 p.c for these aged 18-34.

Regardless of over three quarters (78 p.c) of managers and above understanding what the Versatile Working Invoice means for them and the organisations they work for, many (57 p.c) are involved about receiving new and extra requests for versatile working. And a staggering 72 p.c of companies haven’t but proactively shared data on the most recent guidelines with their workers.

Proper now, workers are most comfy making a request for the next:

• Versatile hours (76 p.c)
• Make money working from home (70 p.c)
• Compressed hours (65 p.c)

The research additionally claims that workers least comfy requesting:

• Work exterior of the UK (45 p.c)
• Job sharing (40 p.c)
• Work a four-day week (33 p.c)

Picture: Bisley