Flexible Working Policy
Flexible working is no longer a perk — it is an expectation. Employees across every sector want choice over when, where, and how they work, and organisations that offer genuine flexibility attract better candidates, retain more staff, and see higher engagement. Without a clear policy, access to flexibility depends on which manager you report to, creating inconsistency and resentment.
This guide helps you create that video. It covers what to include, how to structure your recording, and the questions your team will ask after watching it.
Key Takeaways
- Explain what flexibility is available: Open your video by setting out every type of flexible working your organisation can accommodate — shift swapping, compressed hours, part-time, annualised hours, and more
- Walk through the request process: Show your team exactly how to submit a flexible working request, who reviews it, what the timeline is, and how they will receive a decision
- Apply criteria consistently: Make clear that requests are assessed against the same business criteria for everyone, so access to flexibility is not determined by which manager you report to
- Use trial periods: Explain that new arrangements start with a defined trial period, with clear success criteria and a review date, so both sides can adjust if it does not work out
- Link to official sources: Direct your team to the government guidance for your location so they can check the rules on flexible working requests themselves
Article Content
Why your team needs this policy
In hospitality, flexible working presents unique challenges. Restaurants, hotels, and bars operate on fixed schedules tied to customer demand. A chef cannot work from home. A hotel receptionist needs to be at the front desk during check-in hours. But that does not mean flexibility is impossible — it means it takes different forms. Shift swapping, self-rostering, compressed hours, split shifts, annualised hours, and term-time working are all forms of flexibility that work in hospitality settings. A well-designed policy acknowledges the operational realities of the sector while maximising the flexibility that can be offered.
The business case for flexible working is well established. Flexible working reduces absenteeism, improves retention, and increases productivity. In an industry where staff turnover is a persistent problem and recruitment costs are high, a genuine flexible working offering can be a competitive advantage.
What to cover in your policy video
Set out every type of flexible working your organisation can accommodate. Cover flexible start and finish times, compressed hours, part-time working, job sharing, annualised hours, shift swapping, self-rostering, preference-based scheduling, term-time working, and phased return arrangements. Even if some options are only available to certain roles, listing them gives employees a clear picture of what to ask for.
Frame flexibility as the default position. Explain that the starting point is to approve requests unless there is a clear business reason not to. When managers start from \u201Cwhy not?\u201D rather than \u201Cwhy?\u201D, more creative solutions emerge and employees feel genuinely supported.
Walk through the request process step by step. Cover who the request goes to, the timeline for a decision, and the fact that a conversation will take place before any decision is made. If a request cannot be approved exactly as submitted, explain that alternatives will be explored — a discussion is more productive than a binary yes or no.
Explain how requests are assessed. Make clear that the same criteria are applied consistently across the organisation. If you refuse a request, the reasons are documented, specific, and applied equally. Inconsistent decisions create fairness problems and invite questions.
Explain that new arrangements start with a trial period. A typical trial is three months. Define at the outset what success looks like, when the trial will be reviewed, and what happens if either party wants to revert to the original arrangement.
Make clear that flexibility is for everyone. Restricting flexible working to certain groups creates resentment. An employee who wants compressed hours to pursue further education has as valid a reason as one who wants them for childcare. Focus on whether the arrangement works for the business, not on the employee\u2019s reason for requesting it.
Cover the team impact of flexible arrangements. Flexibility for one person should not create an unfair burden on colleagues. Explain that requests are assessed in the context of the whole team, and that the impact is shared fairly when possible.
Explain that managers are trained on flexible working. Managers are the gatekeepers of flexibility. If they do not understand the policy or the process, they will apply it inconsistently or refuse valid requests.
How to structure your video
Keep it under five minutes. Flexible working is a topic where employees mainly want to know what is available and how to ask for it. Aim for three to five minutes — long enough to cover the options and the process, short enough that people will actually watch it.
Have the right person present. This should come from whoever handles flexible working requests — usually the general manager or operations manager. Hearing the policy from the person who will actually review requests makes it feel credible and approachable.
Use a simple structure. Open with the types of flexibility available. Then walk through the request process. Then cover how decisions are made, including trial periods. Close by pointing people to where they can submit a request.
Show, don\u2019t just tell. If your team uses an app or system to request flexible working, screen-record the process. Showing someone how to submit a request takes thirty seconds and eliminates a whole category of questions.
Give real examples. Flexible working in hospitality is different from an office environment. Use examples your team will recognise: a chef moving to a four-day compressed week, a receptionist swapping to a different shift pattern, a bartender self-rostering around a college course. Concrete examples make the policy feel real rather than theoretical.
Consider separate videos for different teams. If the types of flexibility available differ significantly between front-of-house, back-of-house, and office staff, consider recording separate short videos rather than one long one that tries to cover everything.
Common questions your team will ask
After watching your video, these are the questions that will come up. Anticipate them in your recording or be ready to answer them via messaging:
- \u201CWhat types of flexible working can I request?\u201D — List every option available in your organisation. Be specific about what is and is not possible for different roles.
- \u201CHow do I make a request?\u201D — Walk through the process clearly. If there is a form, show it. If it is done via an app, demonstrate it.
- \u201CHow long will I wait for a decision?\u201D — State your timeline. Check the rules for your location, as some jurisdictions set a deadline for responding.
- \u201CCan my request be refused?\u201D — Explain the grounds on which a request might be declined and how the conversation will work before any decision is made.
- \u201CWhat if I change my mind?\u201D — Cover what happens during the trial period and whether the employee can revert to their original arrangement.
- \u201CWill flexible working affect my pay or benefits?\u201D — Clarify that part-time employees receive pro-rata pay and benefits, and that other forms of flexibility should not affect total pay unless hours change.
- \u201CIs flexible working only for parents?\u201D — Make clear that the policy applies to everyone, regardless of their reason for requesting it.
- \u201CWhat if my manager says no but I think it\u2019s unfair?\u201D — Explain the appeal or escalation process so employees know their options.
Official guidance
The rules on flexible working vary by location. Before recording your video, check the official guidance for your jurisdiction:
| Location | Source |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Making a flexible working request \u2014 ACAS |
| European Union | Work-Life Balance Directive 2019/1158 \u2014 EUR-Lex |
| United States | Flexible work \u2014 U.S. Department of Labor |
| Canada | Hours of work \u2014 Canada.ca |
| Australia | Flexible working arrangements \u2014 Fair Work Ombudsman |
How Pilla helps
Pilla turns your flexible working policy into a living part of your employee handbook:
- Record your policy video — Film a short video explaining your flexible working policy, what employees need to know, and how it works in your organisation. Staff watch on their phone, and you track who has seen it.
- Onboarding integration — Include the flexible working policy as part of your onboarding checklist, so every new starter acknowledges it during induction.
- Policy updates — When your policy changes, push the updated video to all staff and track who has watched the new version.
- Audit trail — Every video view, policy acknowledgement, and onboarding completion is recorded with timestamps, ready for any compliance review.
- Messaging — Use in-app messaging to answer questions about flexible working directly, keeping sensitive conversations out of group chats.