Agile working considerations

As a result of pandemic lockdown measures, many employers across the UK have enabled staff to work from home. 

Those businesses that have realised the potential productivity and cost-saving benefits of homeworking will undoubtedly continue to encourage it and some may even look to enforce it. 

From a staff engagement perspective alone, employers may want to consider offering flexible (or, agile) working arrangements, allowing staff to work at times when it best suits them. Of course, if your business is considering adopting this approach there are a few considerations to address before doing so, for example: 

• Contracts: Where any contractual changes are proposed, employers need to follow a consultation process to obtain agreement to the changes.
• Policies: These should be updated to reflect new working practices and homeworking risk assessments should be carried out. 
• Hours of work: Depending on business needs, employers could consider whether agile working is possible, enabling staff to work hours that suit them. It may be that employees have to work during the business opening hours; however, some may only be required between certain ‘core’ hours, while others may be able to work completely at will.
• Working Time Regulations: Employers will need to ensure that workers stay within the 48-hour working week or put opt-out agreements in place. 
• Monitoring work: Employers may need to adapt their one-to-one procedures to monitor workloads and the quality or quantity of work being produced by homeworkers.

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