There’s a quiet revolution reshaping the workplace and it officially arrived on 6 April 2024. The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 isn’t just another piece of HR legislation. It’s a defining moment for how we build organisations that are both competitive and compassionate. As someone who’s led people strategy across hospitality suites and automotive shop floors, I see this not as compliance but as opportunity.
Let’s unpack what this new law signals and how HR can seize it to foster cultures of excellence.
A Shift Rooted in Reality, Not Rhetoric
You don’t need a Deloitte study to tell you flexibility matters. But for good measure:
- 77% of workers, according to a LinkedIn poll, rate flexible working above salary when evaluating job offers.
- The CIPD notes that 4 million people have already switched jobs due to a lack of it.
For organisations striving to remain future-ready, these aren’t stats they’re red flags. Flexibility isn’t a token gesture; it’s a strategic advantage. It speaks to a generation who no longer view work as a place you go, but as something you do with autonomy and accountability in equal measure.
What the New Law Actually Delivers
Here’s what’s changed—and why it matters:
- From Day One: Employees can now request flexible arrangements the moment they join. No probationary gatekeeping.
- Twice-Yearly Requests: Staff can now submit two formal flexible work requests per year.
- Simplified Applications: Gone is the requirement to justify how the change benefits the business making the process more human and less bureaucratic.
- Mandatory Dialogue: Employers must now consult before responding promoting transparent, people-first decisions.
- Two-Month Turnaround: No more endless limbo. Requests must be processed within 8 weeks.
Individually, these tweaks seem modest. Together, they mark a shift in how we define work and who gets to shape it.
From Policy to Practice: HR’s Frontline Role
Now, this isn’t just about updating your employee handbook and calling it a day.
- Revisit Your Policies: Start with the basics. Review your flexible working policies for legal compliance, yes—but also clarity and inclusiveness.
- Upskill Line Managers: Equip them not just with legal awareness, but emotional intelligence. Handling flexible work requests requires empathy, decisiveness, and dialogue.
- Communicate Early and Often: Employees should never need to second-guess their rights. Transparency builds trust, and trust builds teams.
- Listen Before You Optimise: Run pulse surveys. Host forums. Gather qualitative feedback. Flexibility isn’t one-size-fits-all; it should evolve with your people.
According to Slack, over half of employees in small businesses were already preparing to submit flexible work requests following this legislation. HR must be prepared—not just legally, but operationally and culturally.
The Strategic Edge of Flexibility
Let’s be clear: this law isn’t a disruption it’s an invitation. The most innovative organisations I’ve worked with didn’t wait for Parliament to tell them flexibility matters. They already knew.
Why? Because flexibility unlocks:
- Retention of high-potential talent
- Engagement that fuels innovation
- Productivity aligned with individual rhythm rather than institutional rigidity
But let’s go beyond binary debates—this isn’t just remote vs office. Flexibility includes compressed schedules, job shares, asynchronous workflows. It’s a spectrum, not a switch.
Structure Enables Freedom
I’ve seen this first-hand during the Allwyn UK buildout: flexibility without operational precision is chaos. That’s why strong frameworks matter.
- Evaluate impact: Assess each flexible work request not as a risk, but as a potential performance enabler.
- Communicate standards: Set expectations for deliverables, not hours clocked.
- Adapt, don’t abandon: Not every team or role needs radical change but every team deserves consideration.
One standout example is Dropbox, which adopted a virtual-first model. Employees manage their outputs autonomously, with an emphasis on clarity, not control.
Final Word: Let’s Lead, Not Lag
The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act is more than legislative housekeeping. It’s a chance for HR to lead transformation anchored in trust, designed for agility.
Let’s move beyond “policy compliance” and into genuine cultural evolution. Flexibility shouldn’t just benefit the few who shout the loudest it should be woven into the fabric of our organisations. As with the Ritz-Carlton’s approach to guest service, the magic lies in enabling personalisation within a clear operational rhythm.
The future of work is inclusive, decentralised, and dynamic. Let’s build for it.
