Flexible working describes a way of working that suits an employee’s needs as well as those of their employer. It refers to any working arrangement different from the traditional “9 to 5, Monday to Friday”, and the standard workplaces such as offices etc.
In the modern world of work, more and more employers are introducing flexible working practices to recruit and retain the best talent.
Examples of flexible working:
- Part-time work – working fewer hours in a week
- Flexi-time – more choice over the specific hours you work
- Hybrid working – a combination of working in your employer’s premises and working from home
- Remote working – working exclusively from home or another location different from your employer’s premises
- Condensed or compressed hours – working the same hours over fewer days
- Job-sharing – two or more employees divide a job to cover a full-time role
- Staggered shifts – employees have different start and finish times to their colleagues, to suit their circumstances
- Term time working – hours to fit around working parents
- Annualised hours – hours worked over a year, often in set shifts with you agreeing with your employer when to work
- Seasonal work – temporary work positions that fill business demands in specific periods of the year, generally in the agriculture, travel, delivery and retail industries
- Phased retirement – with a default retirement age (a forced retirement age of 65) no longer in place, you can now ask your employer to reduce your hours and work part-time until you decide to retire.
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