Flex working

[OneKhakiDreamer]

I have recently had a flex working request approved (verbally). However this was prior to a company update of having employees back in the office 5 days a week…
I have since then had a catch up with our HR department who confirmed verbally as this request was approved prior to the mandatory 5 days in office request it still stands . However I am still waiting on paperwork and feeling quite nervous they can go back on this as I’ve only had these things approved verbally. I have followed up in emails but from work side nothing formal or written this has agreed to.
so I am hoping on advice and how long paperwork should take? And if confirmed should I be worried even though paperwork hasn’t been sent?
and if you were me would you be chasing again and if so how often?

TIA

Email your line manager and ask them what to do about it.

How long has it been since you spoke to HR? Days, weeks, months??

This shouldn’t affect anything. They have to prove their case around it not being workable for you personally against your deliverables at work. People put in these flexible working requests before Covid when we were meant to be at a desk 5 days a week and it’s still the same now - they need to evidence why it would be an issue for you. It’s actually quite difficult and most HR will steer managers away from that unless the evidence is clear.

email HR to confirm their verbal approval. e.g. Further to our discussion on DATE, during which you verbally approved my WFH set up, I look forward to receiving this in writing.

It was 6th May it got approved by line manager verbally. I spoke to HR last week about it but again just verbally still nothing in writing.

I sent an email after our call saying “thanks for confirming everything is still approved etc” but never got a response. I think I’ll chase again I might try get my line manager involved as they are very supportive but since the company update there has been an influx of other requests and we are already so thin on the ground I don’t want to cause additional stress for her.

When are the new arrangements due to come into force? I would want written confirmation no less than one calendar month in advance of them being enacted.

Flexible working agreements should be reviewed annually or before if there are significant changes in service need. Personally I would be slightly anxious that you’ve had nothing in writing. Speak to your line manager and follow it up in an email. But be mindful that although they may honour it in the short term they may revoke it in the future.

As it was agreed with your line manager, it is down to her to conduit in writing not HR. Chase her and keep chasing

Flexible working requests can be reviewed at any time and yearly at most. They can be withdrawn if managers feels it’s not meeting the needs of the service!

Ok have sent a chase will schedule one fire a few days. I’m hoping as I’m on maternity leave it’s not a priority and that’s the real reason 😑

Tread carefully. I’m not sure anything approved verbally can be relied upon at all and your management run the risk of annoying other employees if they allow you to WFH and others not.
That said, they have confirmed twice now that it will be going ahead, including after the mandatory thing has been announced.
And also, a flexible working request is a very specific thing and why would you have needed to make a request if WFH was already allowed before if you see what I mean? I’m guessing that your request isn’t ’I want to work from home four days a week’, because that might be more problematic. I’m guessing it’s something like wfh one day a week or 2 afternoons a week or something?
Yeah email them about it and try to at least establish a written trail until they formally confirm it in writing.

So anxious I think I’m just going to keep chasing.
completely understand it might want to be reviewed regularly but hoping I can make it work as it’s actually a request to help manage a health condition so I really want to be able to make this work as don’t think my condition and medication currently would enable me to do the commute 5 days a week sadly. And if it is reviewed and I can make it 5 days in the office means my health is good so that would be the ideal end goal. As I would much prefer to do 5 days in office and not be suffering health wise!

Absolutely it was an to have an extra day at home to what I was previously doing to manage a health condition I had been suffering with (something I was diagnosed years after being at company).
I originally put in the request as due to appointments and medication I was having to do extra days then the company policy supported by management but I felt it was unfair so wanted to make an official agreement. My colleagues have been very supportive as know how much I have been struggling so hopefully will continue.