HIGH PERFORMANCE CULTURE VS FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACE?

SUMMARY: Can Employers take advantage of the government’s drive to make workplaces more flexible and family-friendly?

The government’s campaign for a better work-life balance continues. Employers are going to be increasingly called upon to demonstrate that they care for their staff; at the top of the agenda is a good work-life balance underpinned by a raft of continually developing family-friendly rights.  Some of the main changes are summarised below:

2014

• Flexible working: All employees with 26 weeks’ service can now apply for flexible working. Employers should follow the ACAS Statutory Code of Practice, Handling in a reasonable manner requests to work flexibly to ensure compliance.  Further guidance can be found in the ACAS guide, The right to request flexible working: an ACAS guide.
• Ante-natal appointments: Eligible employees and agency workers can take unpaid time off work to accompany a pregnant woman to two antenatal appointments, up to a maximum of six and a half hours for each appointment.  In addition, individuals are protected from suffering a detriment or being dismissed in relation to time off to accompany a woman to ante-natal appointments.

2015      

• Shared parental leave: Parents will be able to choose how they share their child care responsibilities following the birth or adoption of a child under the new shared parental leave legislation. The new scheme will make up to 50 weeks of shared parental leave and 37 weeks of shared parental pay available for eligible parents to take or share.  ACAS have now published Shared parental leave: a good practice guide for employers and employees.
• Parental leave:  The existing parental leave regime will be extended to parents of children aged five to 18 years of age. Currently, only parents of children aged five and under can take such leave.  This type of leave is unrelated to “shared parental leave”, which will not have any impact on the existing right to take unpaid parental leave.
• The right to attend adoption appointments:  Eligible employees and agency workers who are proposing to adopt, either on their own or jointly with another person, will be able to take time off work to attend adoption appointments in certain circumstances. The time taken off may be paid or unpaid, depending on whether the employee or agency worker is adopting alone or has elected to be the main adopter where they are part of a couple who is adopting. An employee or agency worker exercising the right to take paid time off may do so on up to five occasions in relation to any particular adoption, up to a maximum of six and a half hours for each appointment.

Whilst employers can now have more confidence in managing some of the legal risks associated with dismissing an employee following the significant reduction in tribunal claims, has the drive for employers to become more family-friendly focused created an operational headache for businesses?

Smart employers are unlikely to think in this way, identifying instead these changes as an opportunity to tell staff about the support available to them. If the goal is to maximise productivity with a view to increasing the bottom line, employers need a highly motivated workforce as well low staff turnover. Staff who feel valued and understand the benefits on offer will be committed to realising financial and operational aims.

Key to achieving a positive outcome from changes in employment law and HR practice is the introduction and communication of relevant policies.  Reassured employees confident in their employer’s practices are likely to be committed for the long-term.

Promoting a more family-friendly culture to support a better work-life balance has the potential to play an important role in contributing to a high performance culture.

Contact Details
Further information about the new shared parental leave rights can be found in our October 2014 Edition of the FGazette.

For more details about family friendly rights please contact:

fgmedia@fgsolicitors.co.uk
+44 (0) 1604 871143

This update is for general guidance only and does not constitute definitive advice.