Flexible Working Policy
1. Introduction
1.1: This policy sets out the parameters within which The Bristol Cable employees can consider working flexibly, and the process for making a flexible working request.
1.2: The Bristol Cable believes that flexible working arrangements can benefit both employees and the organisation. It can also support us in our important roles outside paid work such as carers and parents.
This policy has been written to explain the process which we will use to respond to requests by staff to vary their hours, pattern or place of work. The organisation is committed to agreeing any flexible working arrangements, provided that the law and the needs and objectives of both the organisation and the employee can be met.
1.3: It is The Bristol Cable’s policy to encourage open discussion with employees. Employees who think they may benefit from flexible working are encouraged to contact the People Circle to arrange an informal discussion about the options.
All staff have the right to request flexible working. These requests will be handled fairly, free from discrimination, and that employees will not be treated detrimentally because they have asked for flexible working arrangements.
1.4: If a flexible working arrangement is needed on grounds of disability under the Equality Act 2010, see The Bristol Cable’s Anti-discrimination Policy 2024
1.5: Exceptional circumstances (e.g. a pandemic) may mean that The Bristol Cable staff are required, or requested, to change working arrangements temporarily. In such instances, changes will be ratified by the co-ordinators and where relevant by the Board of directors and outlined in additional policy documents and agreements. Any proposed changes that may impact on the agreed annual budget must be approved by the Resources Circle.
1.6: An informal arrangement may be preferable for minor or short-term changes to working patterns. To do this, employees should contact the People Circle to discuss. If such a change is agreed, it is the responsibility of employees to communicate their informal arrangements to colleagues where relevant.
1.7: The remainder of this policy is concerned with making a flexible working request for a permanent change to contractual hours of work. This policy does not cover requests to increase hours.
1.8: This policy is not contractually binding. The Bristol Cable reserves the right to change the policy whenever necessary.
2. What is flexible working?
2. 1: Flexible working is any type of working arrangement that gives some degree of flexibility on how long, where and when an employee works.
2. 2: The following flexible working options are considered to be the typical arrangements that employees will request but the organisation recognises that there may be alternatives or a combination of options which are suitable to both the organisation and the employee:
Compressed hours: where an employee works their usual full-time hours in fewer days by working longer blocks meaning that there is no reduction in their pay. For example, a five-day week is compressed into four days, or a 10-day fortnight into nine days.
Flexitime: allows an employee to choose, within The Bristol Cable’s core hours, which are 10am - 4pm, and must work an agreed number of hours during the accounting period of four weeks. It is the responsibility of the employee to record their own hours.
Home-working: is when an employee regularly carries out all, or part of, their duties from home rather than the employer’s premises. These working from home advice and guidance notes might be helpful. The latter would need to take careful account of team members’ and organisational business needs. It is the responsibility of the employee to ensure that home working will afford them the proper work environment - for example, a quiet space with adequate internet access.
Remote working is similar to home working in that it refers to when an employee regularly carries out all, or part, of their duties offsite rather than from the employer’s premises. This could include working from a co-working space, a cafe, or temporary accommodation. Like with home working, if an employee chooses to work remotely on an ad hoc or regular basis, it is their responsibility to ensure the remote working environment is adequate and conducive to productive working.
Job-sharing: is an arrangement where a full-time post is divided into two part-time roles. The two job holders then share their posts’ overall duties and responsibilities. Their skills and the hours each employee wishes to work must be compatible, and meet the needs of the organisation. Pay and benefits are shared in proportion to the hours each works. Job sharing can be considered where the creation of a single part-time post is difficult, or where two individuals wish to work part-time.
Part-time working covers any arrangement where an employee is contracted to work anything less than full-time hours, i.e. 37.5 hours per week at the Cable, for the type of work in question, for example an employee who works only Monday to Wednesday. The organisation believes that all full-time posts will be available on a part-time basis, except where a critical examination by the staff team proves this to be impracticable. The suitability of posts for part-time working will be stated in any internal or external advertisements.
Annualised hours: Contractual working hours are calculated as the total number of hours to be worked over the year, allowing flexible working patterns to be worked throughout the year.
Short term changes: You may request an informal change for a short period, for instance to pursue a short course of study, before reverting back to your previous conditions.
3. Entitlement
3.1 You have a statutory right to request a change to your working hours every 12 months. However you can still ask even without the statutory right. We’ll try to accommodate changes where possible.
4. The needs of the organisation
4. 1: The organisation is committed to providing a range of appropriate working patterns. However employees need to recognise that not all flexible working options will be appropriate for all roles.
4. 2: Where a flexible working arrangement is proposed, the organisation will need to take into account a number of criteria including (but not limited to) the following:
Costs associated with the proposed arrangement
Availability of staff resources
Effect of the proposed arrangement on other staff
Need for, and effect on, peer supervision
Existing structure of the team or organisation
Details of the tasks specific to the role
Workload of the role
Whether it is a request for a reasonable adjustment related to a disability
Health and safety issues, such as lone working.
5. How to make a request
5. 1: If you’re thinking of making a request, you’re encouraged to chat to a member of the People Circle in order to anticipate any issues in terms of the needs of the organisation.
Formally making the request
5.2: You can then write to the People Circle Lead making your request. Please include:
The date of the request
The changes that you are seeking to your terms and conditions
The date you want the proposed change to come into effect
What effect the employee thinks the proposed change will have on The Bristol Cable
How in your view such effect could be dealt with
Whether this is a statutory request
Whether previous requests for flexible working have been made, and the dates.
5.3: If writing such a request is a barrier, you can discuss your request in a meeting with the People Circle Lead and they can write it up on your behalf. Just confirm with them that you are formally making a request.
6. Flexible working meeting
6.1: If the change can be agreed without a meeting, the decision can be made and an email will be sent to confirm.
6.2: Once they’ve got your request, the People Circle will arrange a meeting to discuss your request. This should be within 28 days unless agreed otherwise.
6.3: You have a right to be accompanied at the meeting by a colleague or trade union representative if you want.
7. Responding to a flexible working request
7.1: The People Circle will consider the proposed flexible working arrangements, looking at the potential benefits and adverse effects, both to the employee and to the Co-op.
7.2: Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Agreeing to one request will not set a precedent for another employee to be granted a similar change to their working pattern.
7.3: There are some legally acceptable reasons that Cable can reject a request:
the burden of additional costs to the organisation;
an inability to reorganise work among existing staff;
an inability to recruit additional staff;
a detrimental impact on quality;
a detrimental impact on performance;
a detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand;
insufficient work for the periods the employee proposes to work; and
a planned structural change to the business.
7.4: The request may be granted in full, in part or refused. The organisation may propose a modified version of the proposed arrangement, the request may be granted on a temporary basis, or the employee may be offered the flexible working arrangement for a trial period.
7.5: A member of the People Circle and/or your Circle Lead may contact you to discuss other options or compromises before coming to a decision.
7.6: If your request is turned down then we’ll explain why. The outcome of the meeting will also be sent to you in writing.
8. Trial period
8.1: If a flexible working arrangement is agreed in principle, it may be subject to a trial period, with a commitment to review at the end. The length of the trial may depend on the type of change and can be determined by mutual agreement.
8.2: This can also give the opportunity to try different solutions for managing any difficulties posed by the new arrangement.
8.3: Trial periods will normally last between two and six months, during which time
we will monitor how the arrangement is working out and discuss this with you
we will make a final decision towards the end of the trial period, unless the arrangement is clearly not working, in which case it may be necessary to end the trial period early.
your terms and conditions of employment will change on a temporary basis.
9. Right to appeal decision
9.1 You have the right to appeal the decision on your flexible working request if their request is refused or is agreed only in part.
The appeal must be made within 14 days of receiving the decision and must clearly state the grounds of appeal. The appeal will be responded to by another member of the People Circle or the Board.
10. Varying an employee’s contract
10.1: Any change in your hours or pattern of work will normally be a permanent change to your contractual terms and conditions. This means that you will not automatically be able to revert back to the previous working pattern (unless otherwise agreed). So, for example, if your new flexible working pattern involves working reduced hours, you will not automatically be able to revert to working full time hours.
10.2: Changes to your working pattern may affect other terms and conditions of employment. For example, reducing your hours of work will mean that your pay and leave will be pro-rated accordingly. Your pension may also be affected.
10.3: Any formal changes to your terms and conditions as a result of a change to your working pattern will be confirmed in your decision letter and a new contract of employment will be sent to you within 28 days of the changes being confirmed.
10.4: However if you have further queries about how a proposed change to your pattern of work might affect your terms and conditions please speak to the People Circle Lead.
10.5: Where a trial period has been arranged the organisation will provide you with a document that details their new working pattern and makes clear that it is only a temporary variation to the terms of your contract. You will be informed in writing of the start and end dates of the trial period (although the organisation may reduce or lengthen the trial period where necessary with the agreement of the employee). The organisation reserves the right, at the end of the agreed trial period, to require the employee to revert to their previous working arrangement and contract.
11. Complaints and further information
11.1 The Cable is strongly opposed to any form of victimisation of individuals who work, or request to work, with flexible working arrangements.
11.2 If an employee thinks that they have been treated unfairly or are dissatisfied with any stage of the process, they should raise their concerns with the People Circle; or with a member of the Board of Directors if the concern relates to the actions of the People Circle.
11.3 If informal discussions do not resolve the matter to an employee's satisfaction, they should raise a grievance under the organisation's grievance procedure.
Authorisation and revisions
Created March 2018
Revised by: Hannah Vickers and Julia Beasley, May 2021
Authorised by Coordinators: August 2021
Authorised by Directors: September 2021
Draft updated by Cait Crosse: October 2023, Maya Kaufman: Jan 2024
Authorised by Directors: March 2024
Authorised by Coordinators: April 2024
Policies should be reviewed every 2 years, unless:
We approve a proposal that changes the policy
There’s a change to the organisation that will change the policy
There’s a change in the law that affects the policy.
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