Ways of Working

Traditional patterns of working involve an employee attending at the employer's place of business (office, shop or factory) to work for fixed hours on fixed days of the week.

'Flexible working' involves different patterns of work —working at different hours, or on different days or working from home.

Examples of flexible working

Annualised hours

Annualised hours means working time organised on the basis of the number of hours to be worked over a year rather than a week. This can be used to fit in with peaks and troughs of work. Pay is usually calculated on the hours worked in each pay period (week or month). • Compressed hours means allowing an employee to work a total number of agreed hours, but over a shorter period than the usual working week, e.g. working a 35-hour week over 4 rather than 5 days. Pay is usually calculated as for an ordinary working week, i.e. the employee would not be paid overtime for the agreed extra hours worked in any one day.

Flexitime

Flexitime means allowing an employee to work different hours on different days, provided that he or she works a certain number of hours in a given period (e.g. 7½ hours in a day, or 37½ hours in a week). An employee is usually required to be at work during certain 'core' times (e.g. 1030-1200 and 1330-1500). Pay may be calculated at a weekly or monthly rate, or on the hours actually worked.

Homeworking

Homeworking may involve working only at home, or partly at home and partly at the employer's place of business. Pay is usually calculated on the hours actually worked. (Employers are required to carry out a risk assessment of homeworking, identifying any hazards and deciding whether steps have been taken to prevent harm to employees or anyone else who may be affected by their work. Further details about risk assessments are available from the Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate .)

Job-sharing

Job-sharing typically involves two people, each employed part-time, but working together to cover a full-time post. Each receives pay for the hours he or she works.

Shift working

Shift working gives employers the scope to have their business open for longer periods than a normal working day. Pay is usually based on the hours worked, sometimes with extra pay for work at unsocial hours (although agreed flexible working arrangements may mean that a shift premium is not needed).

Staggered hours

Staggered hours allow employees to start and finish their day at different times. This is often useful in the retail sector, for example, where it is important to have more staff at peak times but fewer at off-peak times. Pay will usually depend on the total hours worked, rather than the time at which they are worked.

Term-time working

Term-time working allows employees to take unpaid leave of absence during the school holidays, or to work only in school term time.