Britain needs a broader and more coherent policy approach to flexible working time options, based on a dynamic model of social partnership within a strong regulatory framework. This is necessary if we are to achieve five major policy goals: enhancing competitiveness, supporting lifelong learning, promoting active ageing, reducing Britain’s ‘long-hours culture’ and creating equality between women and men.

The weaknesses of current policy are evident from examining the impact of the recently introduced ‘Right to Request’ legislation. Comparisons are drawn with similar legislation introduced in the Netherlands and Germany, where the law has a broader coverage and is one element of a more comprehensive flexible working time policy framework which combines various legal measures with widespread collective bargaining. We conclude that the impact of the British ‘Right to Request’ legislation is limited by the individualised approach directed at carers, weak rights for employees to make legal challenges and the lack of other policy instruments directed at tackling the problems created by the prevalence of long hours working requirements.

A more effective ‘Right to Request’ in Britain could play an important role in securing a number of policy objectives which extend beyond the work-family agenda if the direction of policy were developed to:

• Recognise and promote the valuable role that social partnerships and trade unions can play in negotiating workplace innovations in working time and work organization.
• Strengthen the regulatory framework by extending the coverage and right to flexible working combined with direct regulatory limits to end the long hours culture. Measures to increase the predictability of working time should also be investigated.
• Develop a life course perspective to working-time policy which includes care, pension and social security considerations.

The full document can be viewed / downloaded here

Colette Fagan, Ariane Hegewisch and Jane Pillinger 

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