Flexibility first: the past, present and future of flexible working

 

The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill received its final reading in Parliament, and on 20 July 2023 it received royal assent. This means that the bill will now become law and may make it easier for employees to be granted flexible working opportunities.  

People Puzzles founder Ally Maughan and co-owner Helen Stenhouse reflect on running a flexibility first business and how it has enabled both the team and the businesses we work with to thrive. 

 Ally begins with remembering how much has changed in the last decade:

“10 years ago, HR was geared up to find a way to say no to requests for flexible working. Flexibility wasn’t mentioned in job advertisements and very few roles, especially at a senior level allowed for home or remote working.

The great experiment of successive lockdowns has no doubt accelerated an acceptance (and necessity for) flexible working arrangements but it has also been driven by campaigning from organisations including Anna Whitehouse’s Flex Appeal, and a recognition that if you want good people in your business, and you want them to be around long term you need to set up jobs in a way that works.

HR and People Leaders are now more inclined to find ways to say yes and make things work; but this does require careful listening, the ability to work on a case-by-case basis and finding ways to make flexibility work for both the employee and the business.”

Finding the right balance of flex for both employee and business

Co-owner of People Puzzles Helen Stenhouse joined the business in 2013. As a parent of school age children, she was increasingly frustrated about the lack of options to add value, enjoy a meaningful career and spend time with her family.  Helen could see that the People Puzzles model, of providing mid-sized businesses with HR Directors on a part time flexible basis, was a win:win for both clients and the People Director team.

The People Puzzles model enables senior board level HR professionals to continue to have interesting careers and to thrive both at home and at work. This flexibility isn’t just for parents of young children – it works for those with any caring responsibility, who want to spend their time on a separate career interest or love to travel, or for whom it simply offers a better balance.

Enabling a portfolio, fractional or part time career for senior leaders has enabled People Puzzles to attract top talent. At People Puzzles all of our 80 People Directors work on a part time basis and in the central support team of employees we have over two thirds of the team working part time and all on a hybrid basis.

What do Helen and Ally see the next 10 years being like for flexible working? 

Flexible working is already becoming the norm in many workplaces, and this trend is only likely to continue in the next 10 years. The rise of technology has made it possible for many employees to work from anywhere, at any time, and this has given them more control over their work-life balance. 

The benefits of flexible working are numerous, both for employees and employers. For employees, flexible working can improve work-life balance, reduce stress, and increase productivity. For employers, flexible working can help to attract and retain top talent, reduce costs, and improve employee engagement. 

What this does mean is that the lines between work and home will continue to blur. As more and more people work from home, it will become increasingly difficult to separate work from personal life. This could lead to challenges, but it could also create new opportunities for employees to have more control over their work-life balance, requiring strong guardianship of boundaries and communication frameworks.  

Business leaders will need to understand this different way of working and develop policies to support wellbeing.  At People Puzzles, “Helping People and Businesses Thrive” is part of our core purpose and means finding the best way to make this happen is always part of our business strategy discussions.  

Overall, the future of flexible working looks very bright, but is not without challenges. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more flexible working arrangements become available. This will give employees more control over their work-life balance and help employers to attract and retain top talent. We can however expect to potentially see more challenges in workplaces – legally or just between teams, and the role of a great senior leader will continue to be critical in getting the balance right.