Work
Examples of flexi-hours for full time working parents
Workingwithchildcare · 15/02/2023 13:49
Owner of a growing business and I’ve reached the capacity of my HR knowledge. While we recruit a HR manager I need to put in place a Flexible working policy. We are a family friendly business and we want to support working parents.
Does anyone have some examples of good flexi policies for full time working parents. We are happy for our admin team to request PT hours but where they wish to remain FT I’d like to explore options which allow for school runs etc. The positions are office based for the most part (a few days a week at home although they cannot be carried out while juggling children as it’s not appropriate for us, our clients or the health and safety of the children).
I’d love to hear about businesses who do this really well. Thank you ☺️
JamMakingWannaBe · 17/02/2023 06:47
36 hr/wk
Flexi hours 7am - 7pm
Core hours 10am - 3:30pm
Minimum of 30 minute lunch between 12-2pm
Minimum of 3 hours worked each AM and PM
If you have issues with staff fudging their timesheet that's a separate issue. Is a clock-in-out card system possible?
NoodleQueen90 · 17/02/2023 08:02
I'm nhs admin 37.5 hrs FT
Standard hrs are 8:30-5 can start and finish +/- 1hr either side. 30min-2 hr lunch to be taken between 11:30-14:30.
We use an online system called Astrow so we sign in and out and it records our hours. If we accrue extra time, we can use it to take extra days or even just a few hours off (max 1.5days per 4 week period) we can carry a balance of +/- 8hrs over to the next 4 week period but would lose anything over 8hrs at the end of the period and if you're more than 8hrs in credit, management would want to work out a plan to work that back asap. Annual leave takes precedence over flexi leave for office cover so it's not guaranteed.
Also flexi is a privilege, if people are regularly in violation of the policy then it can be revoked and 8:30-5 is mandatory. We are currently working hybrid 50/50 office and wfh. I think this works really well...as far as I know this is only for FT staff, if part time or working compressed hours then set hours can be agreed to suit that person and it is all recorded and monitored on astrow.
PinkFrogss · 17/02/2023 08:21
If it’s a client facing role involving meetings and calls, are you sure something like core hours is really the way forward?
Especially if you would only be willing to do this with parents, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. What happens if there’s no one in outside the core hours and a client urgently needs to be phoned, or similar?
I think you’d be better off just sticking with the basic legal flexible working rules for your policy, and being as willing to agree to the requests as possible.
NoodleQueen90 · 17/02/2023 08:21
Oh should have said, before covid, we were fully office based and had a card swipe system for clocking in and out, this had to be monitored manually by line managers ie pull a report and review it...we did switch to the online system astrow before covid but it had it set up that you had to be connected to office wifi to access (no idea how they did that but it meant people had to sign in and out 'on site' so less chance of cheating it. Astrow has the 'rules' programmed in to it so any clock in/out that don't fall within the rules are automatically flagged. No idea how much it costs but something to look into.
Also agree with others that this should be offered to everyone. I'm not a parent but my god it makes my commute a lot less stressful knowing that I won't be late if there's an accident on the motorway/some other issue. Can only get a hair appointment on a Thursday? Flexi instead of using up annual leave 👍🏽 it just makes working life a lot more pleasant.
Inapicklee · 17/02/2023 08:31
Workingwithchildcare · 15/02/2023 19:24
Thank you for your suggestions, this is exactly what I wanted .
The core hours policy seems to be popular but can I ask how employers keep track of hours worked? Is it based on trust and output or are there a more formal methods that work well? The role is office based and client facing the majority of the time, or on calls to third parties.
This policy is purely for working parents at the moment. I don’t feel the need to roll it out across the business as the main driver is to work around dependants. A general flexible working policy isn’t something we currently view as being necessary.
I find this attitude utterly infuriating and it’s a reason I’m leaving my job as I get less support than colleagues with children, which is a loss to them as I work damn hard and I’m good at what I do.
I have chosen not to have children but I have other commitments which I can’t pick up and drop.
I also have mental health struggles and I know how to handle that and manage it, and flexibility is key to that. It’s not severe enough to be diagnosed as a disability in my opinion as I can manage it if I am given the scope to. Give and take opposed to employers purely taking. My time is just as important as someone who has chosen to have children.
I do appreciate people have children and their circumstances may change beyond their control but the same applies to people who do not have children.
SweetSakura · 17/02/2023 15:42
Inapicklee · 17/02/2023 08:31
I find this attitude utterly infuriating and it’s a reason I’m leaving my job as I get less support than colleagues with children, which is a loss to them as I work damn hard and I’m good at what I do.
I have chosen not to have children but I have other commitments which I can’t pick up and drop.
I also have mental health struggles and I know how to handle that and manage it, and flexibility is key to that. It’s not severe enough to be diagnosed as a disability in my opinion as I can manage it if I am given the scope to. Give and take opposed to employers purely taking. My time is just as important as someone who has chosen to have children.
I do appreciate people have children and their circumstances may change beyond their control but the same applies to people who do not have children.
Workingwithchildcare · 15/02/2023 19:24
Thank you for your suggestions, this is exactly what I wanted .
The core hours policy seems to be popular but can I ask how employers keep track of hours worked? Is it based on trust and output or are there a more formal methods that work well? The role is office based and client facing the majority of the time, or on calls to third parties.
This policy is purely for working parents at the moment. I don’t feel the need to roll it out across the business as the main driver is to work around dependants. A general flexible working policy isn’t something we currently view as being necessary.
I completely agree with you. As a working parent and as a manager I think it is much better if the flexible working is available to everyone. It stops resentment of working parents and it makes everyone feel valued and like they can get work life balance.
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 17/02/2023 15:45
Workingwithchildcare · 16/02/2023 08:49
Insightful to hear the negative issues flexible working can create. While the whole team currently have hybrid working patterns the need to be visible and be back in the office is great (client driven).
I can’t see how we can have additional flexibility (condensed days, earlier/later start times) across the board and service our clients. It makes no business sense.
You start with what the business needs. Then you look at what you can offer, by role in way of flexibility.
Eg if you have a call centre, you have to have it staffed 8am to 6pm (this is all example timings). Therefore you cannot offer flexibility outside of this for this role.
If you have someone doing your invoices, and frankly, it doesn't matter when they work as long as the job is done, then you offer this role more flexible hours.
You absoloutley cannot offer Barbara in accounts flexible working (because of her children) and not offer Jane, who has the same role in accounts, because she doesn't have children.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.