In the United Kingdom you will now have the right to request flexible working from day one of a new job, with “employers required to consider any requests and provide a reason before rejection” (Working Jobs and Pensions, www.gov.uk, July 2023). This is fantastic news for people who may not have considered applying for a job based on their advertised working arrangements. Being able to confidently ask whether the employer will consider what works best for you is liberating for some.
Employees will also be able to put in two requests for flexible working per year, instead of one. Fantastic news if your circumstances were to change again within the year of if your current arrangement is not working.
There have been many protests, like the one at Lloyd’s AGM in May, because changes to flexible working practices were challenged and no exceptions made for long term disabled or unpaid carers. The charity Pregnant Then Screwed have been dedicated to reaching fair treatment for all and have completed untold amount of work and promotions towards appealing for this law change.
Not only is this long-awaited news for many and relevant to the working community, it is truly relevant to Framework Digital right now. No less than 3 employees have recently joined Framework during a career change and balancing childcare.
I, (Becky) have recently joined Framework Digital – I previously worked in digital and design companies but after having experiences where I could not work to my full potential within the industry while having children, I retrained and ran my own successful business from home with my children. Wanting to get out and rejoin the industry following the break, I was nervous about the length of time it would take to “prove” myself, find a flexible employer, strike that work life balance that works for a family of 6. Incredibly, this happened in a short amount of time and Tomas was immediately accommodating to my needs. Personally, I recognise some parents who are used to having a lot of children around them with only 3 hours to themselves can get a lot done and its fantastic to get recognised for productivity.
To add to the situation, I was recently injured, so my availability and access to the office was affected for a brief time and will be affected in the future when I have surgery. I had to change my way of life and I was suddenly not be able to access many things which have been easy in the past. Fortunately, with Tomas’ flexible and open approach to recruiting, he recognised my potential which otherwise would have been an untapped resource.
Shah, UX designer, has also recently joined Framework. Here’s what she had to say about her experience of changing careers and joining Framework – watch out for a guest blog or two from Shah in the near future too!
“I’ve been a professional, religiously on-site for 9 hours and commuting for another 2.5 hours. Physical fatigue towards the end of the day meant I’d bring more work home to complete later. After much thought, I decided to change careers for the new addition to our family. My new employer, Framework Digital, has been incredibly accommodating and allowed flexible working. Flexible working means I can attend medical appointments, be there at dinner times with my family and ensure I am not neglectful to this little person who needs a loving environment to flourish in.” – Shah
Framework can grow as a company because of the trust that Tomas has put in us while working in hybrid arrangements, allowing us to explore our creativity at home, in the office and experiencing a wealth of talent and return because of this. Their fresh outlook on recruitment has shown me that we are moving forward as an industry and a country, and I am proud to be back working in a forward thinking space.
-Written by Becky
