The Employment Rights Bill announced by Labour last year holds much promise for workers’ rights. As the biggest shake-up in a generation, it could transform the lives of parents and carers in the UK.
The legislation plans to make entitlement to Paternity, unpaid Parental Leave and Bereavement Leave a day one right, strengthening rights for pregnant workers and ending exploitative zero hours contracts. In addition, the bill aims to progress equality in the workplace with gender action plans and make work more compatible with modern lives through flexible working becoming the default where practical.
The new laws, if made a reality, recognise that, when you support parents and carers to navigate the challenges of managing care and work in the modern world, not only do families reap the benefits, but so does the economy and wider society in general. How can we even begin to tackle the rising mental health crisis among young people or meet the demands of an aging population, with all the financial implications of these, if we aren’t giving families the support they need?
But whilst we at Working Families campaigned for this change and are thrilled to see our collaborative efforts coming to fruition, we acknowledge it’s only a part of the solution. We realise that legislation alone cannot create a better functioning, more equal, more prosperous society. To achieve the change we need in society, we need employers leading the charge.
Take the example of flexible working, currently a privilege mainly afforded to those in desk-based roles. If we are to make flex fair for all, we need to break the connection between flexible working and remote work. Making flexible working the default would mean employers, especially who employ people who need to work at a particular location, would be required to consider the alternatives to working from home, and there are many – job share, staggered starts, shift-swopping, compressed hours, flexitime, to name a few. The legislation would move us away from a ‘it won’t work’ mindset that, although completely understandable for employers who are up against it and under pressure to deliver, means workers have their needs written off without considering all the options.
And yet, from our work with employers over the past 30 years, we know that embedding the right culture is as important as any policy. Without the buy-in from line-managers, support can be patchy or inconsistent, and without endorsement from senior leaders, take-up of policies will stay low. Going through the motions of the new law without adopting a flex frame of mind based on trust and finding solutions, is never going to deliver the same results and unlock the benefits of increased productivity and staff retention.
Whilst anyone who has been campaigning for changes in the workplace over the past decades will tell you, getting to this point has been an uphill struggle. But in some ways, the hard work starts here to convince employers who may not be happy about legislation making workplaces more family-friendly not just of the return on investment, but also how to create a workplace culture which will mean they can reap the rewards. This is where our Working Families membership comes into its own, equipping hundreds of employers over the years with the tools they need, and why we are launching the first Family Friendly Workplaces accreditation in the UK, to set a new global standard that will build family-friendly workplaces of the future.
Both our membership and the new accreditation have been established because employers can’t be expected to be experts in everything, and with the immense potential they have to affect the lives of their employees, guidance can go a long way. At a recent session during our annual awareness campaign, National Work Life Week, we heard from leaders on how to lead flex from the front, and go way beyond legislation to create workplaces where people can really thrive:
Start with communication
- Take time to understand the individual needs in a team or staff network so that you’re not applying policy in a vacuum, which can be ineffective.
- Remind staff of policies on a regular basis and as they enter different phases of life to encourage take-up.
- Normalise talking about family or caring responsibilities to help everyone feel they can advocate for their own needs.
Be a ‘real model’
- Others look to leaders for permission and their actions can have a big influence on the perceived ability to work flexibly.
- Don’t role model perfection. Be honest about how hard parenting or juggling work with caring is, authenticity is much more powerful.
Adopt a flex frame of mind
- Start with a solutions-based mindset. If a particular working pattern is not possible, what else is available?
- Trust is the foundation to high performing teams, and a sense of control and choice leads to better productivity.
- Modern work is about human relationships. Transparency and dialogue help teams bond so that having different working arrangements are less of an issue.
Think practically
- Equip managers with tools and knowhow, and help managers by busting myths around flexible working.
- Use place and space wisely. Think about which tasks need connection, and which need concentration to use out-of-office and in-office time to the best advantage.
- Support people to unplug completely when not working to ensure they, and the organisation, reap the benefits.
Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive
Working Families