The law will allow workers to request flexi time within criteria outlined by the Government in the legislation. In order to qualify for flexible working, an employee needs to have had at least 26 weeks continuous employment with his or her employer.

It means that as the name implies, there are a variety of ways to work flexibly; these include job sharing, working from home, and compressing hours such as squeezing a full week into four or fewer days. Part-time work is included while flexitime is regulated where the employee chooses when to start work within agreed limits but has to work certain core hours every day, annualised hours where an employee has to work a certain number of hours during a year, but has some flexibility about when he or she works. 

There are sometimes core hours which an employee has to regularly work each week and then work the rest of his or her hours flexibly or when there’s extra demand at work. Staggered hours are also covered. This is where an employee has different start, finish and break times from other workers.

It all sounds a headache for bosses and managers but much of it is common sense and according to Sidney Bobb who represents many in the wide-format printing industry. He says the industry has a loyal workforce and so there is trust between many management boards and their workers. It will most benefit those with care and child care commitments but won’t affect the industry’s productivity.

Do you have flexible working at your plant? Your views on the subject please to harry@linkpublishing.co.uk

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