In just over a week’s time, the UK labour force is about to go through a major shift that could very well change the way employers and employees think about working on the whole.
The advent of COVID-19 and the related boom in remote work that came with it already dramatically changed the labour landscape in the region, making people “reclaim” more of their free time and demand more flexibility from their employers.
Now, with Flex From 1st just one week away, workers are gearing up to claim even more.
What is Flex From 1st?
Flex From 1st can help all working adults, including parents and seniors. (Canva photo)
Flex From 1st refers to a new set of flexible working laws passed by the government last year.
Set to come into effect on April 6, 2024, Flex From 1st laws will give workers the right to ask for flexible work from their very first day on the job.
This is a major ruling for workers across the United Kingdom, with even the International Labour Organisation (ILO) calling it a win-win for working adults.
Flex work refers not just to remote work, although that is certainly a part of it as well. Rather, it’s about giving workers more control over when they work in addition to where.
It’s about letting parents choose which days and time schedules they have to clock in, so they can arrange it around childcare time, for example.
Or giving more seniors the opportunity to work from home if they so wish.
More work-life balance
Flex From 1st can help make remote work more normalised and even more prevalent in the UK.
The new laws can more remote work more normalised. (Canva photo)
Right now, most working adults are already working in a hybrid format where they spend at least a few days every week working in office.
But there’s still a bit of stigma surrounding work from home. Some employers still turn their nose up at it, and there have been reports of people being afraid to even ask for remote or flexible work in fear of retribution.
Flex From 1st can potentially change all of that, letting workers achieve more work-life balance, which can lead to higher job satisfaction.
There are benefits from employers who get on board, too.
Research has shown that employees who are given more leeway to determine when they work, how they work and from where, tend to be more productive and also more loyal to the company.
If the actual results of this new ruling are anything like they’re expected to be, working in the UK could become a lot more amazing from now on!
Find the latest remote jobs in the UK via RemoteWorker.co.uk.
