Half of us would reject a 15% pay increase if it meant giving up workplace flexibility such as working from home, according to new research from PayFit ahead of new rules coming on April 6 this year. The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill will grant millions of UK workers the right to request adjustments to terms and conditions of employment, including working hours, times and locations.
Workers will have the right to request flexible working from day one of a new job. The study found 32% of workers are not happy with the flexible working policy their employer currently offers.
34% of workers feel uncomfortable requesting flexibility and 14% say it means they miss out on progression at work if they do request flexible working conditions. PayFit CEO Firmin Zocchetto said: “Covid kick-started flexible working expectations, and policies were drawn up in haste at the time.
"However, our research suggests that the vast majority of employees see room for improvement with the current flexible working options available to them. It’s also clear that even as financial pressures mount, employees are placing a premium on the ability to tailor their work arrangements to suit their lifestyles.
“With the impending legislative changes, it’s time for businesses to review their policies and add a layer of sophistication to offerings so that the benefits are attractive to employees' needs."
