so flexible working what is it and what options are available to you in this video i'm going to
share with you why flexible working options are a good thing to offer and consider and what types
of flexible working options that are available to you what is flexible working well flexible working
is defined as working arrangements which allow employees to vary the amount timing or location
of their work usually to the mutual benefit of the individual and organization so why is offering
flexible working to those struggling with menopause symptoms a good idea for the workplace
let's begin by understanding how menopause symptoms can affect an organization like yours so
menopause symptoms can reduce engagement with work they can cause a reduction in job satisfaction
they can cause a reduction to commitment to an organization and there can be higher sickness
absence as well and added to that there is an increased desire to leave the workplace
altogether then there's also the impact of menopause on the economic participation and
that includes evidence to suggest that menopause symptoms have a negative effect on time management
emotional resilience ability to complete tasks effectively and can cause lower productivity
so what is the cost of replacing levers then that are affected by their menopause symptoms
well as far back as 2014 the hr magazine revealed that replacing levers cost in the region of 30
000 pounds including direct recruitment costs as well as those less tangible elements of bringing
a new member of the team up to speed through induction and onboarding so that they can reach
the required level of performance now bearing in mind a woman going through menopause may well
be a senior member of staff which means and this depends upon the complexity of your organization
and their level of seniority onboarding their replacement could take you many months
based on a survey of women over the age of 50 across the uk and looking specifically at
behaviors of women aged 50 to 64 from the core menopause age group new report findings reveal
that the impact doesn't stop there with over 370 000 working women in the uk aged between 50 and 64
admitting they have left or considered leaving their career because dealing with the symptoms
in the workplace of their menopause is much too difficult the menopause is currently costing the
uk economy millions that's happening every single year because employers don't yet quite fully
understand the impact that menopause can have on their organization the 2017 uk government report
provides a very conservative estimate assuming that 174 200 women will experience severe symptoms
which will then have an effect on their ability to work the absence of these women aged between
50 and 54 cost the economy at least 7.3 million in absence-related cost but what this estimate
failed to consider or include were other costs like symptom-related lateness for work
a lost productivity due to medical appointments taken during their working hours are those women
who reduce their working hours due to symptoms so for employers and organizations there's the
cost of new hires productivity losses and not forgetting potential tribunal costs as well
all of which can have a significant impact that trickles down into the economy there are other
financial impacts for women that include a loss of a wage loss of employment and also the loss
of the psychological benefits of work so almost a third of working women within the core menopause
age range are reluctantly having to take time out of the working week to alleviate their menopausal
symptoms now across the year this mounts up to 24 hours which has a potential productivity loss and
across the uk female workforce that adds up to 14 million working days so what options do you have
then when it comes to offering a more flexible approach to working so some flexible working
suggestions are part-time where they work less in their full-time hours and or less working days
job share two or more people do one job and split the hours between them a split roll
tasks are divided between two part-time job holders some additional ways of flexible working
are split shifts as a working shift comprising two or more separate periods of duty in a day
staggered hours when the employee has different start finish or break times from other members
of the team staggered weeks a formal agreement to work outside the main hours of the organization
some more ideas are compressed hours so working full-time hours but over
fewer days there's home or remote working and that's regularly or formally agreed there's also
phased retirement so gradually reduced working hours and or responsibilities to transition
from full-time work to full-time retirement there's also annualized hours that's where
working hours are spread across the year there's a sabbatical an employee takes a period of time away
from work over and above their annual leave and usually the job is kept open for them to return
there's a career break where the employee takes unpaid time off work during this time the contract
is suspended or ended without a guaranteed return depending on the policy and the individual
agreement and more options for you are flexi or lu time this is the paid time off work an employee
gets for having worked additional hours personal or family days these are days of authorized leave
commissioned outcome there are no fixed hours but only an output target that an individual
is working towards so this list isn't exhaustive some other examples are employees working together
to manage routers and where and when it works best for them swapping their shifts do you need to
make flexible working arrangements formal well the flexible working arrangement for your organization
can be informal or formal you can choose to update or amend the employment contract
you have with your employee you can provide flexible working policies in your employer's
handbook or you can have the flexible working agreement between the line manager
and the employee so now that you've got an idea of what flexible options are available
what flexible options could you consider within your workplace let me help you have comfortable
conversations about menopause without the worry of saying or doing the wrong thing
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