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Flexible Working Policy

The Flexible Working Policy provides guidance on flexible working options and the procedure for employees to undertake these options.

Issue Date: July 2022. Review Date: August 2025. 

Document Control

Date Approved by SLT	April 2012
Date of EQIA	August 2012
Document Owner	Human Resources
Last Modified	July 2022

1.0 Introduction

The University recognises that flexible working can provide benefits to both members of staff and the University, and aims to support staff where possible to manage the balance between work and home life.

2.0 Policy Aims

The aim of this policy is to provide managers and staff with guidance on flexible working options and arrangements to ensure that this is undertaken fairly and consistently across the University in accordance with equality and diversity principles.

3.0 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

QMU is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and the terms of this policy and its supporting procedures and guidance notes are designed to ensure the fair and transparent treatment for all staff irrespective of age, race, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, sex or contractual status. A review of the Equality Impact Assessment is undertaken on this policy each time they are reviewed and updated.

4.0 Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all employees of Queen Margaret University. Employees of Queen Margaret University are eligible to apply for flexible working from their first day of employment.

Normally only one application for flexible working per employee will be considered within a 12 month period however there may be exceptions to this particularly where a staff members personal circumstances have changed and have prompted a request for flexible working.

Requests for flexible working may be for any reason and are not restricted to staff with family or care commitments. For example, employees may seek flexible working in order to undertake training, reduce their working hours on the run up to retirement or to take up a hobby or interest.

Requests for reasonable adjustments to working hours associated with ill health or disability may also be dealt with under the University’s Sickness Absence Policy and Procedures in appropriate cases.

If accepted a flexible working request will result in a contractual change, this may be on a permanent or temporary basis. Some forms of flexible working can be agreed informally and will not require a contractual change, please see section 10.

The University offers staff, where their role is considered eligible, to work in a hybrid way should they wish. Hybrid working is separate to flexible working and does not require a contractual change. Please refer to the University’s Hybrid Working Statement and Guidance.

5.0 Responsibilities

Human Resources is responsible for overseeing the fair and equitable application of this policy, ensuring appropriate training is provided and reviewing the policy at appropriate intervals.

It is the responsibility of the manager to consider requests in accordance with this policy and any associated guidance documents, and respond to the member of staff within the prescribed timescales outlined in this policy.

6.0 Data Protection Act

All information processed as part of the implementation of this policy is processed in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). This includes the processing of sensitive personal data. Records are held and maintained in accordance with Data Protection principles.

7.0 Monitoring and Review

Human Resources is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of this policy and supporting procedures. The policy will be reviewed annually in accordance with Human Resources policy review principles.

8.0 Definition of Flexible Working

Flexible Working is a broad term that is used to describe all types of working pattern which differ from the traditional 9am to 5pm, full time contract.

Flexible working often allows more freedom for employees to organise their employment to fit with other parts of their life. For an employer, the flexibility may provide the ability to organise people resources more in line with the varying needs of customers, or with peaks and troughs in demand.

It is recognised that flexible working is not a possibility for all staff all of the time. Success of flexible working often depends on the nature of the role the employee is undertaking.

It is recommended that staff members refer to their contract of employment and job description to ascertain which flexible working methods may be appropriate for them to undertake. Your line manager or Human Resources can also provide guidance on the most appropriate flexible working methods available.

9.0 Advantages of Flexible Working

Research undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has shown that individuals and organisations can greatly benefit from the many positive outcomes of offering flexible working options as outlined below.

Benefits to individuals:

• Enhanced job satisfaction
• Better health
• Decreased chance of burnout
• Improved work-life balance
• Adaptability and openness
• Greater access to job market
• Diversity and collaboration
• Increased motivation and productivity

Benefits to organisations:

• Retention and recruitment
• Employee engagement and loyalty
• Enhanced work performance, increased productivity and better quality of work
• Promotes a culture of diversity and inclusion
• Helps avoid negative employee outcome such as work-related stress, reduced sickness absence, and other negative employee outcomes.
• Creates a positive working culture, in which employees feel valued.
• Contributes to a workforce in line with the organisations needs

10.0 Types of Flexible Working

There are many types of flexible working. Appendix one sets out a number of flexible working options employees and/or teams may wish to consider.

11.0 Procedure for Requesting Flexible Working

When an employee decides that they wish to undertake a form of flexible working, they should discuss the possibility with their line manager.

Where it is established that the request would require a contractual change and cannot be agreed on an informal basis or through the provisions set out within the University’s Hybrid Working Statement, the employee should complete the Flexible Working Form and submit the form to their line manager.

The line manager should give due consideration to the flexible working request, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of the request, for example, the impact on other members of the team and the operational service provided by the School/Division/Department. Each request will be dealt with based on its own facts and circumstances, however, consideration to the impact on the rest of the team will be given. The line manager should liaise with their HR Partner where required. The line manager may also require to discuss the request with other colleagues before a decision can be made.

If the manager can approve the request straight away, there is no need to have a meeting unless the manager chooses to do so. The manager will notify HR of any changes and this will be confirmed in writing to the member of staff.

Where the manager requires further information or discussion, they should arrange to meet with the member of staff at a mutually convenient time to discuss the request in more detail.

The line manager should take no longer than one month to inform the employee of the outcome of their request.

Once the decision is made, the line manager should complete their section of the Flexible Working Form and forward the form to their HR Partner (via the relevant budget holder if required). The line manager should also consider if an Amendment to Contract Form needs to be completed for the employee. HR will then write to the staff member which may be to:

• Agree to a new work pattern and a start date
• Agree a trial period of proposed working arrangement
• Confirm a compromise agreed with the member of staff
• Provide a clear business reason as to why the application cannot be accepted. This reason
  must be one of those listed in section 13 below.

All flexible working arrangements should be reviewed on a 6 monthly basis by the line manager and the team (where relevant). Arrangements should be updated/changed/discontinued if required.

12.0 Trial Periods

Where it is not clear if a flexible working arrangement will be effective, or if both parties feel it would be beneficial, a trial period of new working arrangements may be offered to enable a full assessment of the impact of the request on the member of staff, department and colleagues.

The trial period will normally last between one and six months. The length of the trial period will be agreed in advance. During the trial period, the changes to the staff member’s terms and conditions of employment will be regarded as temporary.

At the end of the trial period the member of staff and manager should meet to discuss and review it, and consider the continuance of the arrangements.

Outcomes of this meeting may include:

• the new working arrangements will be approved and become permanent and contractual
• the arrangements are not approved and the member of staff will be required to revert to
• their previous working arrangements, reasons will be provided by the line manager
• the manager may propose an alternative working arrangements which will ensure that the
  operational objectives are met whilst still providing the requested flexibility.

The outcome of the trial period will be confirmed in writing.

13.0 Grounds for Refusing a Request for Flexible Working

Where a line manager decides that the flexible working request cannot be accommodated, they should explain to the employee, in detail, the reasons for their decision.

An application may only be rejected for one of the following business reasons:

• the burden of any additional costs is unacceptable
• an inability to reorganise work among existing staff
• an inability to recruit additional staff
• the University considers the change will have a detrimental impact on quality
• the University considers the change would have a detrimental effect on its ability to meet
  customer, student or service demand
• the University considers the change would have a detrimental impact on performance of the individual, the team or the University
• there is insufficient work during the periods that the employee proposes to work
• where the requested changes will not fit in with planned structural change

14.0 Appeals

The member of staff may appeal the decision within 10 working days of the original decision being notified to them. The grounds for the appeal should be put in writing to the Head of Human Resources who will appoint a suitable manager to hear the appeal, the manager will normally be more senior to the person who made the initial decision.

A representative from Human Resources (not previously involved with the application) will provide guidance and support to the appeal manager.

The appeal manager may, as they feel necessary, request further information and/or evidence, and may wish to meet with the employee and/or the manager. The appeal manager will make a final decision on whether the appeal should be allowed or declined.

The appeal manager will notify the employee of the outcome of the appeal in writing within 10 working days of the appeal decision. Their decision will be final.

Appendix 1: Types of Flexible Working