Category: flexible working

Let more NHS staff work flexibly to help solve staffing crisis

NHS managers should do more to allow staff to work in flexible ways, including having more control over shift patterns or doing compressed hours*, says UNISON today (Wednesday).

Data from a new UNISON survey** shows a significant proportion of healthcare workers are not being given the alternative work patterns they’ve asked for.

The survey found two-thirds (65%) of women employed in healthcare across the UK who’ve asked for different work arrangements had their requests agreed in full.

But more than one in five (22%) were unable to obtain flexible working. A further one in eight (13%) had their requests initially refused, but eventually found acceptable compromises.

Health workers who took part in the survey included a woman who was refused changes to her work pattern despite the fact that her young daughter was diabetic and needed regular insulin injections.

Another NHS employee who looked after her 99-year-old grandmother requested a change in a shift start time to 9pm, to enable her to put her relative to bed. But her managers insisted she start at 7pm.

A more flexible approach could prove enough to persuade experienced, but jaded, staff to stay in the service and ensure the NHS can become a more attractive career option for would-be recruits, says UNISON.

Flexible working reforms were introduced in the NHS in 2021 in response to negotiations between health unions and the government. And from this month, staff across all sectors of the economy can ask for flexible arrangements from the first day of their employment.

UNISON’s survey of more than 12,000 women working in the healthcare sector found half (50%) of the women had not asked for flexible working, a third of whom were unaware it was even an option***. The union says staff and employers need greater awareness of the opportunities.

UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: “All NHS staff – whether they’re nurses, paramedics, operating theatre staff, porters, cleaners or control room workers – have a right to request flexible working. But some managers still have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude.

“NHS staff are leaving the service because they have no proper work-life balance. More freedom over working arrangements would help attract new staff and persuade more experienced employees to stay. That would help reduce vacancy rates, cut waiting times and improve the quality of care.

“Everyone benefits from greater flexibility. Not just the individual changing the way they work, but employers and patients too. A flexible approach can help tackle burnout, improve staff wellbeing and make for a more productive, contented workforce too.”

Notes to editors:
-*Compressed hours are when someone works their total contracted hours over fewer working days.
-**UNISON carried out the survey online from 2 to 7 February 2024. The findings are based on 12,085 responses from women working across the NHS in the UK. 
-***Of those who said they had not requested flexible working, 30% said they did not need it, 30% said they did not know it was an option and 30% did not think any request would be approved.
-Click here for more details about Let’s Talk about Flex, a campaign involving NHS unions. This highlights how flexible working could play its part in helping ease the NHS staffing crisis. It says a better work-life balance for paramedics, nurses, healthcare assistants, cleaners and other NHS staff might help fill some of the thousands of vacancies. The initiative is aimed at raising awareness among staff – and employers – to use the right to request more choice over where, when and how they work.
-UNISON’s annual health conference continues until today (Wednesday) at the Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2GR. Health workers from across the UK have been debating a variety of motions including NHS pay, mileage rates, bank staff, shorter working weeks, support for healthcare students, tackling racism, mental health, sexual safety, healthcare assistant rebanding, artificial intelligence and safe staffing. 
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Let more NHS staff work flexibly to help solve staffing crisis first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Let more NHS staff work flexibly to help solve staffing crisis

NHS managers should do more to allow staff to work in flexible ways, including having more control over shift patterns or doing compressed hours*, says UNISON today (Wednesday).

Data from a new UNISON survey** shows a significant proportion of healthcare workers are not being given the alternative work patterns they’ve asked for.

The survey found two-thirds (65%) of women employed in healthcare across the UK who’ve asked for different work arrangements had their requests agreed in full.

But more than one in five (22%) were unable to obtain flexible working. A further one in eight (13%) had their requests initially refused, but eventually found acceptable compromises.

Health workers who took part in the survey included a woman who was refused changes to her work pattern despite the fact that her young daughter was diabetic and needed regular insulin injections.

Another NHS employee who looked after her 99-year-old grandmother requested a change in a shift start time to 9pm, to enable her to put her relative to bed. But her managers insisted she start at 7pm.

A more flexible approach could prove enough to persuade experienced, but jaded, staff to stay in the service and ensure the NHS can become a more attractive career option for would-be recruits, says UNISON.

Flexible working reforms were introduced in the NHS in 2021 in response to negotiations between health unions and the government. And from this month, staff across all sectors of the economy can ask for flexible arrangements from the first day of their employment.

UNISON’s survey of more than 12,000 women working in the healthcare sector found half (50%) of the women had not asked for flexible working, a third of whom were unaware it was even an option***. The union says staff and employers need greater awareness of the opportunities.

UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: “All NHS staff – whether they’re nurses, paramedics, operating theatre staff, porters, cleaners or control room workers – have a right to request flexible working. But some managers still have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude.

“NHS staff are leaving the service because they have no proper work-life balance. More freedom over working arrangements would help attract new staff and persuade more experienced employees to stay. That would help reduce vacancy rates, cut waiting times and improve the quality of care.

“Everyone benefits from greater flexibility. Not just the individual changing the way they work, but employers and patients too. A flexible approach can help tackle burnout, improve staff wellbeing and make for a more productive, contented workforce too.”

Notes to editors:
-*Compressed hours are when someone works their total contracted hours over fewer working days.
-**UNISON carried out the survey online from 2 to 7 February 2024. The findings are based on 12,085 responses from women working across the NHS in the UK. 
-***Of those who said they had not requested flexible working, 30% said they did not need it, 30% said they did not know it was an option and 30% did not think any request would be approved.
-Click here for more details about Let’s Talk about Flex, a campaign involving NHS unions. This highlights how flexible working could play its part in helping ease the NHS staffing crisis. It says a better work-life balance for paramedics, nurses, healthcare assistants, cleaners and other NHS staff might help fill some of the thousands of vacancies. The initiative is aimed at raising awareness among staff – and employers – to use the right to request more choice over where, when and how they work.
-UNISON’s annual health conference continues until today (Wednesday) at the Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2GR. Health workers from across the UK have been debating a variety of motions including NHS pay, mileage rates, bank staff, shorter working weeks, support for healthcare students, tackling racism, mental health, sexual safety, healthcare assistant rebanding, artificial intelligence and safe staffing. 
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Let more NHS staff work flexibly to help solve staffing crisis first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON

Commenting on a survey by conciliation service ACAS published today (Thursday) that shows most workers are unaware of a change in the law making it easier to request flexible working, UNISON head of equality Josie Irwin said:

“This law change is a welcome move but doesn’t go far enough. Giving everyone the right to work flexibly from day one in a job would be beneficial for staff and employers alike. It would also help bring workplaces into the 21st century. Bosses have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“It is possible to do most jobs flexibly with a bit of imagination. The evidence is that giving staff the opportunity to balance work with other commitments not only improves morale, but can also help employers fill hard-to-recruit jobs. And with fewer vacancies, services provided to the public are likely to improve.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON

Commenting on a survey by conciliation service ACAS published today (Thursday) that shows most workers are unaware of a change in the law making it easier to request flexible working, UNISON head of equality Josie Irwin said:

“This law change is a welcome move but doesn’t go far enough. Giving everyone the right to work flexibly from day one in a job would be beneficial for staff and employers alike. It would also help bring workplaces into the 21st century. Bosses have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“It is possible to do most jobs flexibly with a bit of imagination. The evidence is that giving staff the opportunity to balance work with other commitments not only improves morale, but can also help employers fill hard-to-recruit jobs. And with fewer vacancies, services provided to the public are likely to improve.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

‘As a woman, my rights are not reduced by my LGBT+ comrades’

The first day of UNISON’s women’s conference, chaired by Sharon Foster in Brighton, passed several motions relating to LGBT+ rights, flexible working and female representation in the union.

The day began with an impassioned speech from the union’s president Libby Nolan, who paid particular reference to Labour’s new deal for workers and the ongoing crisis in Palestine, describing it as a ‘war on women’.

First, Ms Nolan said she was “determined that 2024, the year of LGBT+ workers, leaves a strong legacy.”

Commending Labour’s new deal for workers, which promises day one rights for workers and a repeal of minimum service levels legislation, she said: “we need strike action to negotiate if we’re going to get money in people’s pockets, so they don’t have to go to food banks. It’s not a last ditch attempt, it’s always a threat. It has to be a threat.”

Women in Palestine

Ms Nolan also spoke at length about women in the ongoing crisis in Gaza. She said: “We cannot stand here without thinking of Gaza. Of Rafah. There are approximately 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza and 40% of those pregnancies are described as high risk. It’s not a war, it’s an assault.

“They are in a situation of fear and trauma, with no sanitation or clean water. No medicine, no healthcare infrastructure, no pain medications, anaesthesia and no ability to perform C-sections.”

“As women, we must never stop marching and calling for a ceasefire. However powerless we feel, we have to keep Palestine in the news. Gaza will always be a trade union priority. We will continue to demand for a permanent ceasefire and to allow humanitarian access and stop the blockade of aid.”

“There is so much work to be done, but we’re all united as women in this room. We can pull together, and we can win.”

2024 Year of LGBT+ workers

The first motion passed was to “embed LGBT+ equality within the union”. Introduced by a speaker from the national LGBT+ committee, the motion called for the national women’s committee to promote UNISON’s Year of LGBT+ Workers.

Supporting the motion, Liz Wheatley from UNISON’s NEC made a clear statement in solidarity with trans rights. In acknowledgement of the current climate of transphobia in the UK, Ms Wheatley said: “As a woman, my rights are not reduced by my LGBT+ comrades, they are reduced by Tory bigots who try to divide us.

“Together we are stronger, and when we fight together, we can all win more rights.”

Another speaker, who worked in adolescent mental health, made reference to the government’s new trans guidance for schools, which has been criticised by Stonewall as “not fit for purpose”.

She said: “In the 1980s, the trade union movement was at the forefront of the campaign to repeal Section 28. In this Year of LGBT+ Workers, we need to equip ourselves, again, to campaign against policies like that and to take on the rhetoric of the far right.”

Flexible working

Introducing a motion on flexible working, Alison Chisnell from the union’s national women’s committee said: “Flexible working is not a perk, it’s a necessity. But although you have the right to request it, the employer doesn’t have to provide it.”

The motion calls on the women’s committee to raise awareness on women’s rights to flexible working, recognising that women’s need to balance caring responsibilities with paid work.

Speaking in support of the motion, Linda Elvin from Canterbury City local government described how UNISON’s support was integral to her securing flexible working after her first application had been denied. She said: “Around five years ago, I was juggling being a child carer, looking after my mum and working. Thanks to the backing of UNISON, I got my flexible hours.”

Other motions passed included measures to increase the representation of women in leadership positions across the union, increase the support for young women members, improve health and safety conditions for women in the workplace and promote the ‘right to disconnect’ within flexible working policies.

UNISON women’s conference runs from 15-17 February 2024.

The article ‘As a woman, my rights are not reduced by my LGBT+ comrades’ first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Women in the UK’s public services repeatedly denied flexible-work requests

Three in ten (30%) women working in schools, hospitals, care homes, town halls, police stations and other key services who have asked to work flexibly have had requests denied, according to a UNISON survey released today (Thursday).

The findings – based on responses from just over 44,000 women working in the public sector – suggest employers are being ‘inconsistent, rigid and unimaginative’ by denying individuals the flexibility needed, says UNISON.

The survey is released to coincide with the start of the union’s annual women’s conference in Brighton later today. A quarter (25%) of the women who were told they couldn’t alter the way they worked reported that their requests had been denied multiple times.

The data shows more than two fifths (47%) of respondents had requested some flexibility in their jobs so they could achieve a better work-life balance. More than a third (37%) had done so to look after their mental health, 36% to fit around their childcare needs and 29% for physical health reasons.

The women were given a range of explanations by employers as to why it wasn’t possible for them to work flexibly. More than two fifths (42%) were told it would affect the quality of the service provided, and 28% that there wouldn’t be enough colleagues to cover their duties. A fifth (20%) were denied any flexibility because their managers said it would prompt colleagues to ask for similar working patterns. Around one in seven (15%) were given no reason at all.

From this April, a new flexible-working law comes into effect in England, Scotland and Wales. This gives employees a statutory right to request flexible working from their first day at work (as opposed to the current situation that requires a six-month wait).

While UNISON believes this move is a step in the right direction, the union wants more to be done to allow employees to work flexibly. This is because it’s all too easy for employers to turn down flexible-working requests, says UNISON. For example, one woman said she’d been asking to work flexibly for five years but all her requests had been rejected.

In the survey, one in four (25%) women also said the new law didn’t go far enough. And more than half (58%) think there should an automatic right to flexible working.

Commenting on the findings, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “It’s disheartening to see many employers continuing to deny their staff the opportunity to work flexibly. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“But sadly many women who find they need to inject some flexibility into their working lives are coming up against employers with inconsistent, rigid and unimaginative attitudes.

“While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, some form of flexible working is achievable in most workplaces.

“Helping women to balance work with caring commitments not only improves morale, but can also help employers fill hard-to-recruit jobs. And with fewer vacancies, services provided to the public are likely to improve.

“Too many employers are still turning down flexible-working requests, which means the right to request is pretty meaningless for many women. The right to work flexibly from day one would be beneficial for staff and employers alike, and help bring workplaces into the 21st century.”

Women told UNISON of their struggles to work flexibly. One disabled woman, whose employer kept rejecting her requests for flexible adjustments to her hours, said her condition had deteriorated and she’d had to go on long-term sick leave.

Others described requests being rejected the same day they were submitted, or being told to use annual leave, resign or buy their own IT equipment if they wanted to work in a different way. As a result, many women had simply handed in their notice, even quitting secure jobs for less-reliable agency or zero-hours roles in some cases.

UNISON is pushing for all employers include flexible-working options in job adverts to help ensure more requests are agreed.

Notes to editors:
– UNISON carried out the survey from 2 to 7 February 2024. The findings are based on 44,065 responses from women working across the public sector in the UK.
– UNISON’s annual women’s conference is taking place from 15 to 17 February 2024 in Brighton. Motions to be debated over the three days include flexible working, childcare, the cost of living, rights for pregnant women, violence against women and the impact of the menopause in the workplace. Christina McAnea is giving a speech to delegates on Friday morning.
– Case studies (names have been changed):
Emily, an employee in the energy sector, was only able to sort her flexible return to work from maternity leave days before she was due back. She said: “The process was horrendous, I had to submit several requests and they were all turned down within days. I was stunned. I was caring for my baby and having huge levels of anxiety simply trying to get some flexibility at work. I was scared I’d lose my job. It dragged on so much I couldn’t sort out childcare. The process left me traumatised.”
Nadia, a local government worker with a disability who is a single mum of two, was told she couldn’t work flexibly despite having medical notes from her doctor. Instead, she was referred her occupational health team. She said: “I had a very supportive manager during the pandemic and we all worked well during that time. But as the situation eased, my new manager suddenly wanted everybody in the office all the time. Daily attendance then worsened my condition and I had to go off sick for a few months to recover. Being able to work from home on the days I’m struggling would make a huge difference, and also make it easier to look after my children.”
Helen, a specialist nurse and single mum of three, was turned down repeatedly when she requested flexible working. She said: “I had to go down a pay band to get some flexibility, which put me and my family in financial difficulty. I was told if they allowed me to work flexibly they’d have to do the same for others. But others aren’t in my situation. I’m a survivor of domestic violence and have no family support. The process was awful and I was made to feel like a massive inconvenience. Now I don’t want to be a nurse any more and am looking for a new job in retail. I’ve had to take time off because of the stress and anxiety I experienced. It shouldn’t be like this as I do love my job.”
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk    

The article Women in the UK’s public services repeatedly denied flexible-work requests first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Women in the UK’s public services repeatedly denied flexible-work requests, says UNISON

Three in ten (30%) women working in schools, hospitals, care homes, town halls, police stations and other key services have had requests to work flexibly denied, according to a UNISON survey released today (Thursday).

The findings – based on responses from just over 44,000 women working in the public sector – suggest employers are being ‘inconsistent, rigid and unimaginative’ by denying individuals the flexibility needed, says UNISON.

The survey is released to coincide with the start of the union’s annual women’s conference in Brighton later today. A quarter (25%) of the women who were told they couldn’t alter the way they worked reported that their requests had been denied multiple times.

The data shows more than two fifths (47%) of respondents had requested some flexibility in their jobs so they could achieve a better work-life balance. More than a third (37%) had done so to look after their mental health, 36% to fit around their childcare needs and 29% for physical health reasons.

The women were given a range of explanations by employers as to why it wasn’t possible for them to work flexibly. More than two fifths (42%) were told it would affect the quality of the service provided, and 28% that there wouldn’t be enough colleagues to cover their duties. A fifth (20%) were denied any flexibility because their managers said it would prompt colleagues to ask for similar working patterns. Around one in seven (15%) were given no reason at all.

From this April, a new flexible-working law comes into effect in England, Scotland and Wales. This gives employees a statutory right to request flexible working from their first day at work (as opposed to the current situation that requires a six-month wait).

While UNISON believes this move is a step in the right direction, the union wants more to be done to allow employees to work flexibly. This is because it’s all too easy for employers to turn down flexible-working requests, says UNISON. For example, one woman said she’d been asking to work flexibly for five years but all her requests had been rejected.

In the survey, one in four (25%) women also said the new law didn’t go far enough. And more than half (58%) think there should an automatic right to flexible working.

Commenting on the findings, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “It’s disheartening to see many employers continuing to deny their staff the opportunity to work flexibly. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“But sadly many women who find they need to inject some flexibility into their working lives are coming up against employers with inconsistent, rigid and unimaginative attitudes.

“While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, some form of flexible working is achievable in most workplaces.

“Helping women to balance work with caring commitments not only improves morale, but can also help employers fill hard-to-recruit jobs. And with fewer vacancies, services provided to the public are likely to improve.

“Too many employers are still turning down flexible-working requests, which means the right to request is pretty meaningless for many women. The right to work flexibly from day one would be beneficial for staff and employers alike, and help bring workplaces into the 21st century.”

Women told UNISON of their struggles to work flexibly. One disabled woman, whose employer kept rejecting her requests for flexible adjustments to her hours, said her condition had deteriorated and she’d had to go on long-term sick leave.

Others described requests being rejected the same day they were submitted, or being told to use annual leave, resign or buy their own IT equipment if they wanted to work in a different way. As a result, many women had simply handed in their notice, even quitting secure jobs for less-reliable agency or zero-hours roles in some cases.

UNISON is pushing for all employers include flexible-working options in job adverts to help ensure more requests are agreed.

Notes to editors:
– UNISON carried out the survey from 2 to 7 February 2024. The findings are based on 44,065 responses from women working across the public sector in the UK.
– UNISON’s annual women’s conference is taking place from 15 to 17 February 2024 in Brighton. Motions to be debated over the three days include flexible working, childcare, the cost of living, rights for pregnant women, violence against women and the impact of the menopause in the workplace. Christina McAnea is giving a speech to delegates on Friday morning.
– Case studies (names have been changed):
Emily, an employee in the energy sector, was only able to sort her flexible return to work from maternity leave days before she was due back. She said: “The process was horrendous, I had to submit several requests and they were all turned down within days. I was stunned. I was caring for my baby and having huge levels of anxiety simply trying to get some flexibility at work. I was scared I’d lose my job. It dragged on so much I couldn’t sort out childcare. The process left me traumatised.”
Nadia, a local government worker with a disability who is a single mum of two, was told she couldn’t work flexibly despite having medical notes from her doctor. Instead, she was referred her occupational health team. She said: “I had a very supportive manager during the pandemic and we all worked well during that time. But as the situation eased, my new manager suddenly wanted everybody in the office all the time. Daily attendance then worsened my condition and I had to go off sick for a few months to recover. Being able to work from home on the days I’m struggling would make a huge difference, and also make it easier to look after my children.”
Helen, a specialist nurse and single mum of three, was turned down repeatedly when she requested flexible working. She said: “I had to go down a pay band to get some flexibility, which put me and my family in financial difficulty. I was told if they allowed me to work flexibly they’d have to do the same for others. But others aren’t in my situation. I’m a survivor of domestic violence and have no family support. The process was awful and I was made to feel like a massive inconvenience. Now I don’t want to be a nurse any more and am looking for a new job in retail. I’ve had to take time off because of the stress and anxiety I experienced. It shouldn’t be like this as I do love my job.”
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Women in the UK’s public services repeatedly denied flexible-work requests, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Women in the UK’s public services repeatedly denied flexible-work requests, says UNISON

Three in ten (30%) women working in schools, hospitals, care homes, town halls, police stations and other key services have had requests to work flexibly denied, according to a UNISON survey released today (Thursday).

The findings – based on responses from just over 44,000 women working in the public sector – suggest employers are being ‘inconsistent, rigid and unimaginative’ by denying individuals the flexibility needed, says UNISON.

The survey is released to coincide with the start of the union’s annual women’s conference in Brighton later today. A quarter (25%) of the women who were told they couldn’t alter the way they worked reported that their requests had been denied multiple times.

The data shows more than two fifths (47%) of respondents had requested some flexibility in their jobs so they could achieve a better work-life balance. More than a third (37%) had done so to look after their mental health, 36% to fit around their childcare needs and 29% for physical health reasons.

The women were given a range of explanations by employers as to why it wasn’t possible for them to work flexibly. More than two fifths (42%) were told it would affect the quality of the service provided, and 28% that there wouldn’t be enough colleagues to cover their duties. A fifth (20%) were denied any flexibility because their managers said it would prompt colleagues to ask for similar working patterns. Around one in seven (15%) were given no reason at all.

From this April, a new flexible-working law comes into effect in England, Scotland and Wales. This gives employees a statutory right to request flexible working from their first day at work (as opposed to the current situation that requires a six-month wait).

While UNISON believes this move is a step in the right direction, the union wants more to be done to allow employees to work flexibly. This is because it’s all too easy for employers to turn down flexible-working requests, says UNISON. For example, one woman said she’d been asking to work flexibly for five years but all her requests had been rejected.

In the survey, one in four (25%) women also said the new law didn’t go far enough. And more than half (58%) think there should an automatic right to flexible working.

Commenting on the findings, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “It’s disheartening to see many employers continuing to deny their staff the opportunity to work flexibly. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“But sadly many women who find they need to inject some flexibility into their working lives are coming up against employers with inconsistent, rigid and unimaginative attitudes.

“While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, some form of flexible working is achievable in most workplaces.

“Helping women to balance work with caring commitments not only improves morale, but can also help employers fill hard-to-recruit jobs. And with fewer vacancies, services provided to the public are likely to improve.

“Too many employers are still turning down flexible-working requests, which means the right to request is pretty meaningless for many women. The right to work flexibly from day one would be beneficial for staff and employers alike, and help bring workplaces into the 21st century.”

Women told UNISON of their struggles to work flexibly. One disabled woman, whose employer kept rejecting her requests for flexible adjustments to her hours, said her condition had deteriorated and she’d had to go on long-term sick leave.

Others described requests being rejected the same day they were submitted, or being told to use annual leave, resign or buy their own IT equipment if they wanted to work in a different way. As a result, many women had simply handed in their notice, even quitting secure jobs for less-reliable agency or zero-hours roles in some cases.

UNISON is pushing for all employers include flexible-working options in job adverts to help ensure more requests are agreed.

Notes to editors:
– UNISON carried out the survey from 2 to 7 February 2024. The findings are based on 44,065 responses from women working across the public sector in the UK.
– UNISON’s annual women’s conference is taking place from 15 to 17 February 2024 in Brighton. Motions to be debated over the three days include flexible working, childcare, the cost of living, rights for pregnant women, violence against women and the impact of the menopause in the workplace. Christina McAnea is giving a speech to delegates on Friday morning.
– Case studies (names have been changed):
Emily, an employee in the energy sector, was only able to sort her flexible return to work from maternity leave days before she was due back. She said: “The process was horrendous, I had to submit several requests and they were all turned down within days. I was stunned. I was caring for my baby and having huge levels of anxiety simply trying to get some flexibility at work. I was scared I’d lose my job. It dragged on so much I couldn’t sort out childcare. The process left me traumatised.”
Nadia, a local government worker with a disability who is a single mum of two, was told she couldn’t work flexibly despite having medical notes from her doctor. Instead, she was referred her occupational health team. She said: “I had a very supportive manager during the pandemic and we all worked well during that time. But as the situation eased, my new manager suddenly wanted everybody in the office all the time. Daily attendance then worsened my condition and I had to go off sick for a few months to recover. Being able to work from home on the days I’m struggling would make a huge difference, and also make it easier to look after my children.”
Helen, a specialist nurse and single mum of three, was turned down repeatedly when she requested flexible working. She said: “I had to go down a pay band to get some flexibility, which put me and my family in financial difficulty. I was told if they allowed me to work flexibly they’d have to do the same for others. But others aren’t in my situation. I’m a survivor of domestic violence and have no family support. The process was awful and I was made to feel like a massive inconvenience. Now I don’t want to be a nurse any more and am looking for a new job in retail. I’ve had to take time off because of the stress and anxiety I experienced. It shouldn’t be like this as I do love my job.”
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Women in the UK’s public services repeatedly denied flexible-work requests, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Survey: Have your say about your choices at work

UNISON has partnered with the Work Foundation at Lancaster University to research the decisions people make about work and the choices available to them. 

There is a survey available for UNISON members to take. The findings will contribute toward UNISON’s wider policy and campaigning, helping the union fight for the right changes and support for members.

The researchers are interested in understanding what factors affect people’s decisions when deciding to take on work and what improvements could make employment fit people’s needs better. 

UNISON policy officer Michelle Singleton said: “Real choice in the work we do requires people to feel they have access to everything they need to pursue the job they want.  

“We know that flexibility in employment is vital for many of our members but we also know that some members’ choices will be limited by the availability of adequate care for loved ones, lack of flexibility or access to affordable training opportunities. 

“We want to know more about how much ‘choice’ our members really have so we can shape our campaign work to press for the changes that would really make a difference for our members.”

Neither participants or their employers will be identifiable in the data or in any publication.

Take the survey here

The deadline for participation in the survey is 15 March 2023, and UNISON will publish the results in the late spring.

The article Survey: Have your say about your choices at work first appeared on the UNISON National site.