Flexible working is a topic that has evolved following the COVID-19 pandemic, with the experience significantly changing the way in which people work as well as the way in which they now think about work.
What is flexible working?
Flexible working can be difficult to define as it is often seen by what it isn’t, this being not the “normal 9 to 5”. It is a type of arrangement that gives a degree of flexibility on how long, where, when and at what time employees work. More people are now thinking about this to suit their personal needs rather than sticking with the “traditional” working pattern of being in the workplace from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
A recent study confirmed that 92 percent of millennials identify flexibility as a top priority when job hunting, with 70 percent of employees seeing that flexible working makes a job more attractive to them (CJ Talent, 2023). Furthermore, most of those who are over 50 years old want to ease slowly into retirement through reducing their hours and working more flexibly. These statistics demonstrate the huge appetite for flexible working and suggest that those employers who do not wish to engage in these practices will be put at a huge disadvantage, particularly when it comes to recruitment and retention.
A recent study confirmed that 92 percent of millennials identify flexibility as a top priority when job hunting, with 70 percent of employees seeing that flexible working makes a job more attractive
This viewpoint is also reflected across the veterinary sector with the most common reasons vets gave for wanting to work more flexibly being to allow more time for leisure activities, lifestyle needs, health reasons and caregiver responsibilities, as well as time for professional development.
What does the legislation say?
The growth in flexible working is not all due to the pandemic. Legislation is also moving towards supporting the future of flexible working as, in December 2022, the UK government announced a reform to current legislation allowing workers to request flexible working from day one of their employment. Alongside this, the government has also committed to there being a requirement for employers to consult with their employees to explore the available options prior to simply rejecting the offer (allowing employees to make two flexible working requests in a 12-month period), a requirement for employers to respond to requests within two months (down from three) and the removal of the requirement for employees to specify in a flexible working request how the employer might deal with the effects of that request.
With studies demonstrating the business case for flexible working and with the advances in legislation, there will be an acceleration in the number of employers adopting flexible working practices. It is hoped that this will improve employees’ well-being and work–life balance, thus enabling businesses to attract, retain and look after their employees.
So, while many employers fear this change as a departure from traditional working structures, in particular within the veterinary profession due to factors such as staffing concerns, out-of-hours cover and continuity of care, there are compelling reasons to embrace the change.
Benefits of flexible working
Flexible working can be seen as a win–win arrangement for both employers and employees as it allows employees to ensure they have a good work–life balance. This can lead to improved job satisfaction, productivity and retention, while it also allows employers to help reduce employee burnout, absenteeism and turnover. Alongside this, the offering of flexible working can give a competitive edge when it comes to recruitment and can widen the pool of talent, especially for those hard-to-fill roles.
[Flexible working] will help promote better work–life balance and increase the retention of employees while also increasing recruitment into the sector
As the veterinary sector continues to face serious long-term staffing shortages, which in turn places additional pressure on the current teams to continue to provide a first-class service as well as covering shifts, the consideration of further flexible working requests may seem unimaginable at this time. However, the fix should not lie with continuing with the practices in place, such as rotas and a variable working hours culture, but embracing this change and supporting new and flexible working patterns. This will help promote better work–life balance and increase the retention of employees while also increasing recruitment into the sector, particularly for those talented veterinary professionals who may have left the sector owing to restrictions on their ability to work traditional hours.
Final thoughts
Forward-thinking employers should not be rigid in workforce planning. They will need to proactively consider ways to accommodate fixed working hours and patterns such as part-time, term-time, compressed or annualised hours, which allow employees the ability to plan regular social activities or fit work around caring responsibilities. The pull of enforced variable working hours and rotas, as well as permanent nights, evening or weekend shifts, in attracting individuals is diminishing. Employers, above all, talk to and listen to your staff – they can inform your thinking and help you to create a balanced workforce plan.
Employers, above all, talk to and listen to your staff – they can inform your thinking and help you to create a balanced workforce plan
