Flexible working has certainly been proven to benefit employers in particular through cost savings and increased employee retention. It is the key to ensuring that employees with caring responsibilities can work and continue to be effective in the workplace. It can provide mechanisms for all employees to balance work and life, but it can be specifically beneficial for those employees who are carers.

As of 6 April 2024 every employee in England, Scotland and Wales has the statutory right to request flexible working from their first day of employment.  This law change also sees employees able to make up to two requests in a year and any request granted will mean a permanent change to terms and conditions unless a trial period is agreed or a time-limited change.

Employers are now required to consult with an employee before rejecting a flexible working request and there is a reduced waiting time for decisions to be made (for the employer to administer the statutory request) from three months to two months.

For more information on the right to request flexible working download our guide Supporting working carers: A guide to requesting flexible working or view our section on employees’ rights here.

Flexible adjustments can include:

• Flexible starting and finishing times.
• Compressed working hours.
• Annualised working hours.
• Shift-swapping and self-rostering.
• Job sharing or part-time working.
• Home-working and remote working.
• Term-time working.
• Flexible holidays to fit in with alternative care arrangements.

These benefits support carers by addressing their individual situations rather than labelling them as people who need extra help or who have problems. Flexible working, open to all, reduces resentment about “preferential treatment”.

Download: 

Flexibility in action (Sainsbury’s)
Flexibility – making it work for SMEs (Listawood)

Flexible working options

Here are some different examples of how small changes to working patterns can enable carers to juggle work and their caring responsibilities more effectively.

Download flexible working options here.

Hybrid working resources

EfC have provided links to some resources that can support your organisation with hybrid working.

Download hybrid working resources here.

Flexibility on the frontline

In March 2021, Employers for Carers hosted a frontline networking session for members who have a significant number of employees in frontline roles. The session provided updates from members about the challenges of supporting frontline working carers in their organisation and some of the ways they have been responding to those challenges.

We have gathered some case studies from Network Rail, London Fire Brigade, HSBC and Royal Mail who all have employees in frontline roles.

Download the case studies here.