Flexible Working
Flexible working requests are now a day-to-day management issue. They can affect cover, customer delivery, supervision, and fairness across a team, and they often put pressure on managers when similar requests need different answers for genuine operational reasons.
We advise employers on flexible working requests from first receipt through to consultation, written decisions and appeals. We also help you put a consistent approach in place across the business so requests are handled fairly and outcomes are workable in practice.
Employees can make a statutory flexible working request from day one and employers must usually complete the process within two months, consulting with the employee unless the request is agreed in full. We help you run the process in a way that supports operational delivery and reduces the scope for disputes.
Many employers want more than one-off advice. They want on-going support that managers can use quickly, with cost control and joined-up legal and HR input. HR Compass gives you a bespoke fixed-fee employment service for your business, paid in monthly instalments and backed by insurance if required. Our HR consultancy service adds hands-on people management support, complementing the legal advice so the approach is easier to apply across the business.
Our firm is recognised in independent legal directories including Chambers and Partners (UK) and The Legal 500 (UK). We also hold Lexcel, the Law Society’s practice management standard.
We make it possible to handle flexible working requests with clarity and control, with support that fits the pace of running a business.
If you have a request on your desk now, or you want to tighten your approach across managers and teams, speak to our Employment & HR team.
What to do when a flexible working request lands
Take control of the process early. Confirm who will handle the request, acknowledge it, set a timetable, and plan the consultation so you understand what is being asked and can assess the operational impact.
Employees can make up to two statutory requests in any 12-month period. That makes it even more important to have a repeatable approach, so similar requests are handled in a consistent way while still reflecting the reality of different roles and teams.
If an employee fails to attend a consultation meeting and a rearranged meeting without good reason, you may be able to treat the request as withdrawn. We can guide you on how to handle that safely.
Handling flexible working requests without losing control
Most employers want a fair process, a workable decision, and a clear way to explain the outcome. We support you from the first conversation to the written decision so managers feel confident about what to ask, what to consider, and how to communicate the outcome.
Keeping the process practical
A strong process should support good decision-making, not slow it down. We help you run consultation in a way that focuses on what matters, explores alternatives where appropriate, and keeps the decision grounded in operational reality. Where a trial period is sensible, we help you structure it clearly so there is a clear review point.
Refusals and appeals
Sometimes the answer is no, or not in the form requested. Problems usually arise when the reasoning is vague or the written outcome does not reflect what was considered. We help you assess whether the request is workable, sense-check the rationale for refusal if needed, and put a clear written decision in place.
When the request is linked to wider sensitivities
Some requests sit alongside other issues, such as health, disability, pregnancy, menopause, religion, or caring responsibilities. Where disability is involved, you may also need to consider reasonable adjustments alongside the flexible working process. We help you approach these requests carefully and record the reasoning properly, without escalating matters unnecessarily.
Policies and documents that match how you operate
Inconsistency often starts with a gap between policy and reality. If hybrid working is happening informally, or managers are improvising without templates and guidance, you can end up with avoidable workplace issues. We review and update policies and supporting documents so the process is clear, repeatable and easier to apply across teams.
Preparing for what is coming next
Changes linked to the Employment Rights Act 2025 are expected to tighten how refusals are justified from 2027, including closer scrutiny on reasonableness and clearer written explanations. We help you strengthen process, training and records now, in an ordered way, so managers can apply a consistent approach with confidence.
Flexible working support that keeps decisions consistent
Flexible working requests can become a repeat pressure point: managers handling things differently, teams comparing outcomes, and refusals that feel harder to justify than they should. We help you stay consistent, protect operational needs, and keep control of cost and risk.
HR Compass and our HR consultancy services are designed for employers who want support they can actually use in real time, with joined-up legal and HR input and clear pricing from the outset.
We can support you through:
● Fixed-fee support through HR Compass
● Support managers can use immediately
● Joined-up legal and HR input
● HR consultancy to embed the approach
● Clear pricing and control
Pricing and control
We will set out pricing options clearly from the outset. Where appropriate, we can offer fixed fees for defined pieces of work, such as a policy review, manager guidance, or advice on a specific request. Where a matter is more open-ended, we will explain how the work is scoped and keep you updated as it develops, so you retain control and transparency.
Talk to our flexible working solicitors
Whether you have a request to deal with now, you are considering a refusal, or you want a consistent approach across managers and teams, we make it possible to move forward with clear options and steady, workable next steps.
You will have trusted legal partners who focus on clear, practical advice and progress you can actually implement. Our firm is recognised in independent legal directories including Chambers and Partners (UK) and The Legal 500 (UK), and we hold Lexcel, the Law Society’s practice management standard.
If flexible working requests are becoming a regular issue, HR Compass and our HR consultancy support give you joined-up legal and HR input you can use day to day, with clearer cost control and more consistent decision-making across managers.
Known throughout the North, with offices spanning Lancashire, Cumbria and Staffordshire including Preston, Clitheroe, Garstang, Kendal, Lancaster, Lytham, Manchester, Southport and Stoke, we offer accessible support that stays close to what matters to you, with clear ownership and consistent updates throughout.
Call us or complete the form below and we will arrange an initial conversation. We will understand what you want to achieve, explain your options and outline the next best steps, so you can move forward with choice, flexibility, control and transparency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only if one or more statutory business reasons applies and you follow a reasonable process, including consultation unless you accept the request in full.
In practice, refusals are safest when the written outcome shows you understood the request, assessed the operational impact and considered whether an alternative or trial arrangement could work. We can help you sense-check the reasoning and put a clear written decision in place that is specific to the role and the way your business operates.
A refusal must be grounded in one or more statutory business reasons, including additional costs, inability to reorganise work, inability to recruit, impact on quality or performance, impact on meeting customer demand, insufficient work at the proposed times, and planned structural changes.
The key is not just naming a reason, but explaining it clearly and linking it to evidence. We help employers translate operational reality into a rationale that is fair, consistent and properly recorded.
You must usually complete the process and issue a final decision, including any appeal, within two months of the request, unless you agree to an extension.
In practice, this is easier to manage if you set a timetable at the start and plan the consultation early. If timing is tight, we can help you keep the process moving while making sure the decision is properly supported.
It can. Some requests raise wider risk depending on the circumstances, and where disability is involved you may also need to consider reasonable adjustments.
If a request is linked to health or other sensitive circumstances, the safest approach is usually to identify the wider issues early, consult carefully and document the decision-making clearly. We can help you handle that in a way that is fair and proportionate, without adding unnecessary complexity.
Advice from our experts
Meet our Employment & HR team
