In January this year, The Flexible Working Task Force – a partnership across government departments, business groups, trade unions and charities – launched a campaign to increase the uptake of flexible working, encouraging employers to advertise jobs as flexible, regardless of level or pay grade. 

The campaign’s strapline, Happy to Talk Flexible Working, has never rung truer at iCrossing UK, which introduced its first flexible working policy for all staff last year. 

Based around the core hours of 9.30am-4pm, when you’ll find iCrossers in the office or working remotely, Flex 10 allows employees to “flex” the remaining 10 hours a week to suit their working style and commitments. They can start and finish earlier (which is proving one of the most popular options), push their hours a little later or work one or two short days, making up the time throughout the week.
This shift away from the traditional 9-5 is emblematic of a change inclusivity expert Roxanne Hobbs is witnessing throughout her work with The Hobbs Consultancy, which ran Unconscious Bias training for iCrossing’s leadership last year.
 

“There’s a growing realisation that our working practices are stuck in the 20th Century, when our technology is very much 21st Century”, the executive coach explains. “Companies are recognising that people want to work differently and that they won't attract and retain the best talent unless they have a radically different outlook on flexible working.”
 

As that request became a steady thread in the agency’s quarterly employee engagement survey, iCrossing’s managing director Claire Paterson, and HR business partner Catherine Falla, promoted company-wide flexible working to the top of their to-do.
 

“Ultimately we're not one big homogenous group, and if we act like that we won’t find and retain the best candidates for our roles. Our marketing would fail”, Claire enthuses.

“Through surveys and focus groups, it became clear that flexibility at the beginning and end of the day was key, and this policy empowers people to make that time for themselves – whether it’s a trip to the gym, an early finish to meet friends on a sunny day, or an extra couple of hours of quality time before the kids go to bed.

All of these things promote wellbeing and a better work/life balance, and I believe happier employees will create better work for our clients.”

A culture of autonomy
While striking the right balance of core and flex hours was critical, the policy’s success also relies on a culture of trust, autonomy and clear communication.

“It was a case of impressing on everyone that they, individually, had to take responsibility for getting work out on time and to be professional in their flexibility,” reflects head of delivery Neil Hampshire.

“For example, an important client meeting at 9am will trump the gym, and people need to give notice in advance when they’re working remotely.”

“With that understanding, we’ve found flexibility actually increases efficiency, as it allows people to work when and where they’re most productive.”

As with all large-scale transformations, the changeover hasn’t escaped a few teething problems. Early feedback has led to video conferencing systems being reviewed to help reduce familiar technology frustrations, and resourcing has also come under the spotlight.

Everybody flex
iCrossing’s Senior Management Team (36% of which have some sort of formal flexible working arrangement) acknowledge the need to lead by example to help dispel the myth that presenteeism, or how many extra hours you put in, is valued above the output.  

And the team behind the changes believe an increased openness and acceptance of life outside of the office – at all levels – can go some way to help tackle bias against working mothers.

“Having taken maternity leave twice in recent years, I’ve witnessed how inflexible many companies are with mothers returning to work”, Claire says. “I’ve seen more mothers unable to return than those that have, and this is unacceptable to me.”

Indeed, 2015 research by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, in partnership with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, suggested that around 54,000 new mothers may be forced out of their jobs in Britain each year.

“It makes sense that in a company where flexible working is very much the norm, we're less likely to stereotype those on a different flexible working arrangement” agrees Roxanne.

“When I started The Hobbs Consultancy, flexible working was seen as being largely for working mums. Thankfully, this has now changed, and companies are realising that flexible working is something that everyone will probably need or want at some stage in their career. 

“Millennials are looking for balance at a much earlier stage in their careers, working dads are wanting to lean in more at home, and there are obviously people who have caring responsibilities beyond their children – elderly parents, for example.”
The future of flex
Recognising the diversity of individual needs, Flex 10 is just one of the ways roles can work flexibly at iCrossing, with other options including compressed working hours, 9-day fortnights and 4-days weeks.

“Our Flexible Working policies are open to all and since the launch of Flex 10, we’ve seen a 66% increase in uptake across the company – not just from females and parents,” shares Catherine. “Some 27% of those who work flexibly are male, and 50% of those who changed to a flexible working pattern since Flex 10’s launch don’t have any dependants.”

This is only the beginning of iCrossing’s flexible revolution. Plans are afoot to trial entirely virtual roles, limitations around when you can fall pregnant and receive full benefits have been stripped from the agency’s maternity policy, and ideas to encourage the uptake of Shared Parental Leave and recruit people who have been out of work for some time through “returnships” are currently on the table.

And with the door wide open to employees with their own ideas of how roles could work, more innovation is sure to come from Roxanne’s advice. “Think creatively about what balance means to you; be brave, ask for it, then own your flexible working arrangements.”