NOW CLOSED: Tell us what you think about the new flexible working contract designed by O2 - you could win a £100 Amazon voucher

[AnnMumsnet]

You may know we have been doing some work with O2 (via our panel) and as part of the Mumsnet Family Friendly programme - and now O2 are excited to announce the launch of the O2 Working Families' Contract.

O2 say "The O2 Working Families' Contract(* SEE ADDITIONAL NOTE BELOW) is a new flexible contract designed with working parents in mind. It allows groups of between two and four working mums and dads to freely decide how they will cover shifts over a month, to which they can make changes at any time, giving them the flexibility to balance their jobs with activities such as the school run, their children's holidays and unplanned emergencies. At O2 we want to make it as easy as possible for our people to be there for their family when they need to be, whilst managing their job responsibilities"

They want to help spread the word about this and also to get some feedback from the Mumsnet community about the concept. we appreciate working in an O2 shop may not be for your or your DH/DP but what do you think about the idea in principle? What do you think is good? What would you like to see in the concept? Do you think it it something you'd like to see your employer offer (or a local employer)? What pitfalls can you envisage? How do you think you/ O2 could work to solve these?

At the moment, this is just a trial - and is being piloted at O2's stores at The O2 in Greenwich, Edinburgh and St Albans.

Do add your thoughts on this thread - and if you think you might be interested in applying, please go to www.o2careers.co.uk and use the following reference numbers: St Albans - IRC126340/ Edinburgh 135 Princes St -IRC126341/ O2 at the O2 - IRC126343

Everyone who adds a comment on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner, drawn at random, will win a £100 Amazon voucher

Best of luck and thanks for your comments
MNHQ

NB: PLEASE NOTE:
The team at O2 have been reading your responses on this thread with great interest and are very grateful for all the feedback as it will help them shape the contract.

They wanted to clarify: "Whilst we designed this with parents in mind, it is absolutely open to people without children. Most of the shifts would be around the middle of the day, as it's the busiest time in store, which should suit parents trying to fit in school runs"

MNHQ

Definately needs a line manager to manage and clear guidance on how clashes in preferences for Rotas are resolved.

A step in the right direction though.

Well done to O2 for being prepared to design flexible working arrangements with more imagination than much of what is currently offered. I like the idea of mixed groups - I think that would work well. Also could O2 think about clusters of shops? If several O2 shops are within eg 10 miles of each other there could be broader cover. I like sloggies idea of some fixed shifts - that would then cover the awkward slots.

I think it is a positive step that employers are considering these issues.

I think that in reality it will be a nightmare to implement, and lead to clashes and resentment. The most vocal in each group will rule the roost.

I work shifts and we live on a very tight budget.
If I was unable to work a certain shift in order to cover someone else, and this meant that my hours were effectively cut, we would be in real trouble financially.

My partner also works shifts, so we need to have fixed and regular shift times so that we can ensure one of us is at home with the children.

I can see how this plan would work for some people though.

In theory this sounds great however i am not sure how easy this would be to implement.
Who decides which persons 'shift off ' takes priority ?
I guess it very much relys on an awful lot of co operation from those involved.

HarrietJones - there was a survey via the panel which helped O2!

Thanks. Thought it was deja vu!

Hi, firstly well done O2 for thinking about this.

Of course, the ideal combination would be parents and students - students are often available during school holidays when parents would appreciate time off....

I would agreevwith others, lots of employees might be interested in flexible working. I know my childless sister used to like saving up her over time for a quiet time and taking an extended holiday without compromising on other timeoff. So maybe you could work it as x number of contract hours per annum per employee and then do the rosta accordingly.

In principal-brilliant, so long as it is extended to all workers, parents or not. What I think is good is it combines treating people like responsible adults and recognises their problems. What I would like to see in the concept is fairness, so it has to be for all staff. I am self employed but if I was em Do you think it it something you'd like to see your employer offer (or a local employer)?

Oops.

... but if I was employed I would like my employer to do it. If I was aware that a local business had this benefit for their staff I would be more likely to give them my custom (as I do with shops that I know have a reputation for treating their staff well, e.g John Lewis).

I remember the mumsnet panel survey about this. It sounds a great idea, but I would be concerned about the implications for other members of the team if one member was a bit unreliable. Who would take the flak if arrangements went wrong or if members couldn't agree? And how helpful would it really be when most parents would want to work school hours only on weekdays? It does strike me as a bit of a potential minefield.

Sounds great in principle, you might hit a problem in school summer holidays when everyone wants time off at the same time though, or covering shifts between e.g. 3pm and 5pm or at weekends.

I think it's a really good idea in principal, but can see problems within the groups if people have very different circumstances or feel certain members are taking advantage. How will the groups be chosen and will there be someone outside of the group that they can go to if there are ant 'teething' troubles?

I am impressed and surprised that O2 are bothering to think this through to such a degree. It's a fab idea in principle as long as the store manager has some control over the decision making process and can veto things. I just imagine the scenario when the entire workforce wants Christmas eve or boxing day off

I would be interested to hear the outcome of this because I would love it to work! I think it's ambitious for a retail customer facing outlet, would be miles easier to set up in an office environment. I'm lucky enough to work in a family friendly office but dh works in a very very family unfriendly retail environment so would love to see it work

I am not sure that parents necessarily want to or are able to work in shop hours. How will O2 counter the fact that some people may only be available in the evenings or early mornings if they are working round a partner's hours etc.

It sounds good in theory but in practice I wonder how well it would work - if one parent had alot of emergencies and needed to alter shifts at the last minute this might put resentment onto other staff and a feeling they may be taking advantage. I'm also wondering whether other staff who aren't parents have similar rights as it seems unfair that parents only would have these flexible benefits. I also wonder if parent have the right to change shifts etc at the last minute who will have to fill in for them at such short notice - clearly it won't be the parents as they might struggle with childcare with such short warning so not only would staff without children not have the flexible benefits but also they would have to pick up work for those that do.

I think anything that helps parents work flexibly is a great thing, don't get me wrong, I'm just not sure how workable this would be in RL.

Also how do you deal with the 'sick note' person in your group and there's always (at least) one who will be off on a regular basis and screw up the rota.

I think it's a great idea if each group were made up of people with differing needs so that there was no one particular time slot that everyone was after.

What about some kind of 'core hours' group that each person joins - say four groups, each of which is made up of people interested in similar hours. Working teams are then made up of one member of each core hours 'colour group'. Only relevant to larger shops perhaps, but it would mean that people could join a different group easily, eg if they move to a different store.

i also think this is a brilliant idea but wonder how it will actually work. it does need to be offerred to all workers, parents and non-parents to make it fair.

it would encourage me to shop/spend money at O2 simply because they are making an effort for theirstaff

I think it's applaudable but working contracts should suit individual needs. If you rely on a group to cover the shift pattern, I think it could cause problems. What if someone resigns? Or gets pregnant again? I would worry about the impact of this on the team.

Flexible working has a long way to go in the evolution of working parents, so perhaps I am being overly negative. If O2 employees are game, do it!

I think Liluri is right, that most people need regular shifts so childcare can be arranged for the same times every week. If you are using nanny/CM they will want regular spots, not to chop & change. It might work well for those with more flexible childcare (family etc) or those using breakfast/after school clubs on a drop in basis.

Also the 9.30-2.30 shifts i suspect would be oversubscribed, with the early and late shifts struggling.

I am surprised by how down beat many of the responses in this thread are. There in no magic bullet that can solve the problem of balancing families and careers but it is really brilliant to see a major company trying to think of ways to help working parents.

Yes this plan will rely on all parties behaving responsibly, no single person taking the mickey and everyone understanding that they will have to take bad shifts some days to get good shifts on others but at least they will have a chance.

Good on 02.

I think that self rostering can really work well, and agree with others that it would work even better if non parents could join in as well as their needs may well balance out the needs of the parents (i.e. they will want the cheap non school holiday deals)

It is good to see a company at least attempting to make lives easier for parents

it sounds like a type of jobshare - might work better where you get to choose the people you want to be in the group with and then approach management to sign the contract, perhaps with core hours agreed with flexibility to change if required built in

This sounds great in theory, but in reality will they not have to ensure the shifts are covered between them, i.e. pick your working partner carefully. Also "can make changes at any time" - what happens when the child is sick the morning you are down to work? Or the school is shut for snow? Can you just call in unavailable?

But I am being a pessimist. It is a great idea.