Is this the year you finally ask your employer for what you need? In April 2024, the UK government passed the Flexible Working Bill, allowing employees the right to make a statutory request to permanently change their contract from the first day of employment. This includes having a legal right to request flexible working, which covers changes to the locations, hours, and days worked.
This change in the law comes at a time when worker confidence is at a record high, with the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index showing 63% of workers feeling secure in their roles. This is an opportune time to begin negotiations for working arrangements that better suit your needs. Our recruitment experts are here to show you how.
What is my company's current policy on flexible working?
Under current UK law, you're entitled to request flexible working from day one of employment. The recently introduced (but still in progress) Employment Rights Bill aims to strengthen these rights further by making flexible working the default from day one and placing more emphasis on employers to prove the reasonability of any grounds for refusal.
The introduction of the Flexible Working Bill means your employer must deal with your request in a ‘reasonable manner’ — taking the time to assess the advantages and disadvantages, suggesting alternatives and offering an appeal process.
To learn more about your company’s current policy on flexible working, we recommend returning to your employment contract to see if there’s any information regarding your contracted hours and working conditions. Does your employer already have a flexible working policy included as part of your contract or benefits package? Is there any mention of the eligibility for flexible work arrangements or obligations under your contracted hours?
Your company may even have a process in place for formally requesting a work schedule change, so do your homework before you go any further into the process. It might be easier than you think! If you can’t find any information in your contract, you always have the option to reach out to your company’s HR team to get information straight from the source.
What are the types of flexible working arrangements?
You can choose from several different kinds of flexible working, depending on your circumstances and job role. According to UK law, 'flexible working' applies to the following work styles:
Remote working: a fully off-site role in which you work full-time from home or another location.
Hybrid working: splitting your work hours between the office and another off-site location like your home.
Job sharing: working hours are split between two professionals.
Part-time: reducing your hours by working fewer days.
Compressed hours: condensing your full allocation of contracted working hours into a shorter period to allow for more days off.
Annualised hours: like compressed hours, annualised hours allow you to work a certain number of contracted hours (including agreed 'core' hours) over a year rather than a week.
Flexitime: you choose your own start and end time each day but still work your contracted hours and still work during core office hours.
Your employer may also offer flexible work options as part of your contract's remuneration package. For example, phased retirement or staggered hours. Before making your case, double-check to see if other options are on the table.
How to build a proposal for flexible working
Start by letting your employer know which flexible working arrangement you’d like and the hours/dates/way you’d like to work. To help overcome any resistance, we recommend lining your new schedule up with important work meetings, calendar events, and workflow processes to see where conflicts might occur and then providing solutions for these ahead of time.
It's also wise to discuss the advantages of flexible working regarding your role and your contribution. Recent data shows that employers are increasingly focused on output and performance rather than traditional metrics, with 40% of employers saying they find experience and skills more beneficial for identifying an employee's value than conventional measures. Use this to your advantage by focusing your proposal on how flexible working could maintain or enhance your performance.
You could also include data around the benefits of flexible working hours and better work-life balance in employees. According to data collected for the Robert Half 2025 Salary Guide, many employers are leveraging benefits and perks to attract and retain quality talent, so you may be able to position your request as an addition to your remuneration package — especially if your salary doesn’t meet the regional industry benchmark for your experience level or skill set.
Finally, it's also important to remember that your request is more likely to be approved if you select a reasonable schedule and tailor it to suit both yourself and the business. Compromise and reasonable expectations could be all it takes to get your request approved!
How to submit a request for flexible working
You can submit your flexible working request by email or in a formal letter unless your employer has a standard form they use for similar applications. You could also use this template by the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) to help make things easier.
Legally, your request must include the following elements:
1. The date you’re making the request
2. A clear statement that your letter is a statutory request for flexible working
3. Details of the flexible work arrangement you’d like and the start date
4. Details of any previous applications submitted, complete with dates
Add your proposal information to the request so your employer has everything they need to make an informed decision. Under UK law, your employer has two months to respond to your flexible working request (however, they have the right to negotiate a longer turnaround with you). If your request is successful, your employer will respond in writing and has 28 days to update your contract.
How to negotiate a request for flexible working
Although you don’t have a statutory right to appeal a rejected application, your employer may have an appeal process already outlined that you can use to state your case. If not, you may be able to leverage company policy for resolving workplace disputes, so check your contract and company literature to see which options you have.
We recommend tackling the negotiation in a calm and orderly manner, basing your negotiations around the reasons given in the written application rejection response. Use concrete evidence and facts that substantiate your argument wherever possible.
The latest employment data shows that 46.6% of workers feel confident about their career progression and that employers are increasingly open to arrangements that help retain valuable talent. All things considered; this is a great time to start the conversation.
FAQs
When is the best time to request flexible working?
The tight labour market makes this a good time to consider submitting a flexible working request to your employer. High worker confidence and job security, paired with high demand for skilled talent, puts the ball firmly in your court regarding bargaining power.
It's also smart to look at the broader picture in your current place of employment. Are big projects or significant business initiatives making this a bad time to ask? Timing could be all that stands between you and a successful request.
What should I do if my request is denied?
You have two options if your request is denied. You can wait until the timing is better (see above!) and submit a new application with an even stronger argument in your favour, using the reasons for rejection as a guide. You can apply twice in 12 months, so you're not out yet!
Alternatively, you can appeal the decision via your employer's HR department. There may already be a set process in place for appeals, or you can use the workplace dispute resolution process to make your case.
How should I approach my manager with a request for flexible working?
Legally, all statutory flexible working requests must be made in writing by email or letter. You could initiate the conversation with your manager during a performance review meeting as part of your immediate career trajectory or during your salary review meeting as part of your benefits package.
This gives you an open forum to discuss how you're finding things in your role and what could be done to accommodate even better productivity and outcomes.
Visit the Robert Half insights blog for more information on flexible working, or download your free copy of the latest Jobs Confidence Index to learn more about the hiring landscape and worker sentiment.