Flexible Working Policy
More and more, we're looking for increased flexibility in our working lives. The world of work is changing, and we want to lead the way. Being an inclusive employer that supports flexible working is vital to build our unbeatable platform of the best people, processes, and systems.
Our aim is to create a positive culture towards flexible working and the benefits it brings to colleagues and our organisation. We already offer flexible working arrangements, but we know there’s more we can do. That’s why we’ve signed the ABI Making Flexible Work charter, to promote flexible working options that help us become a more diverse and inclusive workplace, including supporting more women into senior roles. We’re committed to working towards the three charter commitments:
- Making it clear: Publishing details of our flexible working policy so it’s publicly available for colleagues and prospective candidates.
- Making it possible: Advertising the majority of roles as being open to flexible working, including part-time working and/or as a job-share (if appropriate).
- Making it happen: Putting in place processes and guidance to support and promote different forms of flexible working, including job sharing.
Flexible working is a broad term used to describe any working arrangement that meets the needs of both the organisation and its employees regarding when, where or how you work. It can take many forms, such as part-time working, hybrid working, homeworking, job sharing, and compressed hours.
We don’t believe in having restrictions around who can work flexibly and all colleagues may make two statutory requests to work flexibly per year.
Informal arrangements
For small changes to your working pattern, such as starting and finishing a bit earlier, or where you just want the change for a short period, we might be able to agree something informally.
Making a request for flexible working
For permanent or more significant changes, such as reducing or compressing your hours we’ll need to do things more formally. To make a request, complete the Flexible Working request form available in MyView, describing the change you are seeking and submit.
Your line manager will consider your request from a starting position of what may be possible. Unless they are able to fully agree to your request straight away, they will arrange to have a meeting with you to discuss your request before making a decision.
You can only have one live request for flexible working at any one time, and once a request has been made it remains live until either a decision about the request is made, the request is withdrawn or the two-month period for deciding requests ends.
Flexible working meetings
Your line manager will agree a time and date to hold your meeting as soon as possible. You can bring a work companion to the meeting, if you wish, and a written record of the meeting will be kept. At the meeting you'll discuss the request, the potential benefits or other impacts of accepting or rejecting the request, and any practical considerations involved in implementing the request.
If your original request can’t be accepted in full, you may discuss any potential modifications to the original request or any alternative flexible working options that may be available and suitable for both sides.
Decision period
We’ll aim to deal with flexible working requests as quickly as possible within a two month decision period, including any appeal, unless we both agree to extend this period. Once we’ve reached a decision about your request, we’ll inform you right away.
Agreeing to the request
If we agree to your request, or if a modified or alternative arrangement is agreed after your meeting, you’ll receive a letter confirming the details of the new arrangement.
Rejecting a request
We’ll always aim to find a solution that works for everyone and we’ll only turn down a request where one or more of these genuine business reasons apply:
- The quality of your or your team’s work would be likely to suffer
- We wouldn’t be able to recruit an additional team member
- It would have a negative impact on your or your team’s performance
- It wouldn’t be possible to reorganise the work amongst the rest of the team
- It would have a negative impact on the service we provide to our customers
- There wouldn’t be enough work to do at the times you want to work
- There’s an organisational change planned which may impact your team or role
- There would be additional costs to the business
If we need to turn down a request, we will make sure we clearly explain why in a letter. If you disagree with us, there will always be the option to appeal the decision. Appeals should be made within 7 days of receiving the decision, and details of how to do this are in the outcome letter.
Trial period
If we agree a flexible working arrangement, it might be useful to have a trial period to see how things work out. How long we’ll trial it for will depend on the type of change, and we’ll be sure to review it at the end of the trial to agree whether or not it’s meeting everyone’s needs.
Temporary arrangements
We know that sometimes flexible working is only needed for a short time, so temporary arrangements can be agreed if this would work for everyone, and we can always agree to extend the time if things change.
Homeworking
If your flexible working request is to be based at home, then we will expect your home environment to be suitable to ensure you meet the expectations of your role, and our health and safety requirements and information security and technology requirements set out in the Homeworking policy.
Hybrid working
Hybrid working is a mix of office and homeworking. This form of flexible working is suitable for the majority of roles where activities can be conducted at home to the same standard as it could in the office. You’ll need to meet the minimum criteria for working from home, as set out in the Hybrid Working policy.
Creating a positive flexible working culture
In line with the commitments of the ABI Making Flexible Work charter in this policy, we’ve made it clear how you can request a flexible working arrangement. We are working on making it possible by developing the range of flexible working options for all roles when advertised. We will make it happen by raising awareness of the benefits of flexible working and empowering conversations around options that meet everyone’s needs.
…together we can Make Flexible Work!