The call was made on the back of a major survey of manufacturers showing that employers have seen some positive benefits from flexible working. However, the survey also showed a majority of companies have experienced practical problems with implementing the current legislation.
Commenting, Alison Valente, Assistant Director at EEF Northern, said:
“Whilst manufacturers have seen benefits from the introduction of flexible working, the last thing they need now is to have to consider more and more requests without the knowledge and resources to do so. They need to be given time to prepare both their workplace and workforce before this right is extended to more employees. If it is extended, they are more likely to say ‘no’ and some people who really need to work flexibly could then miss out."
In the North East, EEF Northern aim to help employers ensure they are prepared for further changes to flexible working legislation and can manage an increase in requests. The organisation is holding a conference in the autumn of this year to educate employers on how to facilitate flexible working and accommodate a higher volume of their workforce working flexibly.
In addition, EEF believes the legal right to request flexible working should only cover employees with caring responsibilities. For other employees, employers will increasingly provide flexible working arrangements on a voluntary basis as an effective way to attract and retain the brightest and the best.
EEF also believes first line managers and supervisors should be given more support and advice on handling flexible working arrangements before any consideration is given to extending the current legislation. If it is then extended to other groups of carers, such as the parents of older children, this must be done on a phased basis that enables employers to cope gradually with requests from more employees.
EEF is also firmly of the view that employers must continue to have the ability to reject requests for flexible working on genuine business grounds and that the right to request flexible working should only apply, as now, after 26 weeks’ employment.
Alison Valente added:-
“There is a limit to flexibility in any workplace and employers must, as now, be able to refuse a request for flexible working if they have genuine reasons to do so.”
Key findings from the survey include:
• Over two-thirds of companies had received a request for flexible working in the last twelve months.
• Employers saw the main benefits of flexible working as leading to better relationships with employees, improved motivation and reduced staff turnover.
• Two-thirds of employers reported that flexible working had created practical problems. The most common were extra pressure on other employees, difficulties arising from sections being left short-staffed and difficulty in managing flexible working practices.
• Companies were overwhelmingly opposed to extending the current flexible working legislation. If the legislation is to be extended, they felt that this should be done in stages.
Notes for editors
The statutory right to request flexible working was introduced in 2003 for parents of young and disabled children (provided they have worked for their employer for 26 weeks). In 2007 the scope of the law was extended to cover carers of certain adults. Employers have a duty to consider requests from these categories of employees but they are able to reject flexible working requests on one or more of a number of business grounds.
The government has asked Imelda Walsh, Human Resources Director at Sainsbury’s, to lead an independent review to determine how the right to request flexible working should be extended to parents of children older than six. The Walsh Review is expected to report in the next few weeks. EEF’s survey and recommendations have been submitted to this review.
The survey of 446 companies was carried out in February 2008
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For more information contact Jenny Russell 0191 4165656 jenniferrussell@eefnorthern.org.uk
EEF Northern has more than 500 member companies in the North of England and provides the most cost effective legal, employment law, employee relations and HS&E advice and training in the UK.
EEF Northern employs teams of HR and employment specialists and has access to more than 60 lawyers and barristers to help its members understand the issues associated with the ever increasing introduction of legislation and regulation.
Membership of EEF Northern gives immediate unlimited access to the team of specialists - including the largest specialist employment law team in the UK, which provides professional no-nonsense advice and guidance either by telephone or in person.
In addition, EEF represents the interests of its members at UK Government, European and international level, and can provide advice and support on issues and legislation that can affect almost every aspect of business.
Visit www.eef.org.uk/northern for further information.