Childless employee asking for flexible working

[sparechange]

I know this should probably go in the jobs section, but I would appreciate a range of views on this...

I work in a pretty small company managing a team of 2 employees. Both women, both doing the same job on a scared caseload sort of arrangement. Without giving too much away, it is following up on leads which come in, so some days are busy, others are quieter, depending on what has been passed to them by other people. They can't generate their own work when it is quiet or duck it when it is busy, if that makes sense.

Colleague A has a 3 year old daughter and when she came back to work after ML wanted to work 1 day a week from home, which she does.
We are all aware that she doesn't get much work done on that day, but her work is generally done each week, so no one minds too much.

B doesn't have any children, but has come to me to ask if she can have the same arrangement - working 1 set day a week from home. My initial reaction was 'no', but she has challenged me on it.

Her argument is quite simple - if there is no impact on the business by A working from home, then there should be no impact on her working from home as well.
Or if there is an impact, she should get a payrise to reflect that she does more work.

I'm stumped! We have a one-man band HR here, but she is more admin for things like payroll so I won't get anything more than her opinion.

How do I respond to this? I think she has made a good point, but I don't want this to blow up into something bigger, and am worried it is indicative of a bigger issue between A&B.

Help!

I agree with her. I think she should be entitled to flexible working too and would probably get more work done than the colleague with a child.

I agree too - a flexible working policy is for all staff

and you should do something about the home working for one with child if shes not doing the job

Why should you discriminate against B because she is childless? Let her have the same condtions as her work colleague doing the same job.

I think B should be allowed the same arrangement.

If someone has chosen not to have children then I don't see why someone else's family choices should affect them or allow them fewer working options.

Or if someone is unable to have children, then IMO it is unfair to give their colleagues who have been lucky enough to have children the additional bonus of flexible working hours.

What are your reasons for wanting to say no to her?

I think the issue is that A isn't actually working at home on that day - tbh I'd be pretty narked.

Either this arrangement is OK or not - and as manager you need to decide whether B gets the same conditions or A has to pull her weight

Why should she not get it? I do not see why you are stumped.

Good on her for having the balls to challenge you on it.

She is right all employees should have equal access to flexible working. Also working from home should mean working. I work from home one day a week kids still go to childcare and I am as if more productive than my days in the office.

I agree, flexible working should be available to none or all.

I agree too! It's unfair to offer this to one employee and not the other.

To get the legals on it try looking at Direct.gov, it's really useful!

I agree too. This type of thing is why people get so cross with parents in the work environment, when things like working from home aren't permitted equally.

A day working from home with no comuute and a chance to do the laundry is great for everyone!

Agree with her too. It does create unnecessary discord if parents are seen to have more flexible arrangements than non-parents.

If she'd still be as productive at home, then she should be allowed to do it. Why not?

I also think that her arguments are entirely valid and, in her position, I would feel exactly the same. Perhaps in hindsight it wasn't a good idea to let A work from home if she doesn't actually get much done from there, but you have allowed this now, and being childless shouldn't mean that B gets a worse deal.

If not more productive I meant.

You can't have one rule for one and a different rule for the other. I once asked if I could reduce my hours (I don't have children) and was told the business could not accomodate this. A very short time after, my colleague came back to work after maternity leave and was allowed to reduce her hours. I was livid. Either the business can accomodate a change in working patterns or it can't.

Check out the DirecGov website. If you "?have or expect to have parental responsibility of a child aged under 17 (from April 2011 a child aged under 18)" then you have a Statutory Right to request flexible working conditions. So, the mother has the RIGHT to ask. That doesn't mean that the business is obligated to do it for her. But if they can work around things, then they can consider it.

However, your other employee does not have a Statutory Right to request flexible working conditions. She can ask, but you don't HAVE to consider it.

However, I can see why she thinks it's unfair. Perhaps you would have been better off offering "?compressed hours: working your agreed hours over fewer days" - some employees start a bit early, take a smaller lunch break, etc.

If the day working from home is not really a full day, as it were, and if she is making up the hours in the other 4 days, I guess technically she is already doing compressed hours.

I agree. B should have the same options as A. I know that doesn't seem to work in a lot of big companies and I know A has the right when returning to work to request flexible hours etc - but if B is as good an employee as A then I think it's only fair she has the same options as A (or as she says more money).

A has the statutory right to request flexible working, B doesn't.
Link to government info here

However, if you think A isn't pulling her weight on her home working day, I think you need to address that. It sounds like B is also aware of it, so thinks the situation is unfair.

I agree with her - why should she not have the same option to work at home? Some people (such as my DH) actually get much more done at home anyway. Just because the other employee is unproductive at home, doesn't mean the other employee will be.

I am hopelessly unproductive at working from home, so I don't do it, although it is accepted at my workplace to do so on an ad hoc basis.

I agree with her too.

As an employers myself, I would look at the affect on business of someone wrokgin felxibly and nothing else.

You have rather painted yourself into a corner however letting one employee do (apparently) 20% less work than the other for no very obvious reason.

What's your reason for saying no?

Sounds like the problem is employee A is not working when she's at home, or not enough, and it's causing resentment, unsurprisingly.

Agree too. Childless workers always seem to get the raw deal when it comes to flexi time and holidays too.

what statutory rights people have is a differnt issues to managing and motivating your employees. Of course you can shut the argument down by saying she has no right to request flexible working but we all know that the situation is unfair and you will have one very disgruntled employee if you go that route. I guess you need to assess the impact if she is very embittered or decides to leave or both.

the issue is this, surely? "We are all aware that she doesn't get much work done on that day, but her work is generally done each week, so no one minds too much." i think colleague B really minds. and who can blame her, i would be livid if my co-worker was getting away with a skive on a friday and everyone just had to be cool about it... this is not a problem that will go away unless you fix colleague A.