FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
Seven out of 10 employees (70 per cent) are not aware that the law is changing to make it easier to request flexible working at work, finds a new survey from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).
The YouGov poll, which was conducted in January this year found that 43 per cent of employers were also unaware of the law change.
All employees who have worked for their employer for 26 weeks or more currently have the right to ask if they can work flexibly. A new change in the law will make this a right that applies from the first day of employment from 6 April 2024.
Acas has produced a revised Code of Practice on requests for flexible working to support employers and employees through this change and other reforms, which will be introduced at the same time on 6 April 2024.
Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said: “Our new findings reveal that most employees and more than two in five employers are unaware of the new upcoming law changes to flexible working.
“These new changes will be coming into force next week and it is important for bosses and staff to be prepared. Flexible working can bring many benefits in workplaces and the starting position should be to consider what may be possible.”
Acas’ Code of Practice on requests for flexible working, includes information on:
- Who should be allowed to accompany an employee at meetings to discuss a flexible working request
- The need for transparency about reasons for rejecting a request
- Making it clear that employers should proactively offer an appeal where a request has been rejected.
To read Acas’ draft Code on handling requests for flexible working click here.
Service Works Global (SWG) is conducting research in partnership with FMJ, to find out how you are using technology in your role through a short survey.
Whatever your FM role, your responses will help to provide analysis and insight into the use of technology, as the FM industry rises to meet the challenges of sustainability, new ways of working and data-driven decision making. This will enable FMs to gain insight into future trends to stay ahead of the curve, and be able to benchmark against the industry as a whole.
The anonymised results will be published so that you can see how you compare to others within the sector.
The survey should take just 5-10 minutes of your time, and as a thank you, participants will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky winner will be picked at random to receive an iPad 10th Generation worth £499.
To take part click here.
