Why employers and employees need to be flexible about flexible working

I’ve started this article many times over this year, under several different guises. I’ve discussed the work life balance. Lazy Girl Working. People with a side hustle. But it essentially boils down to the same thing – flexible working.

This time of year is always busy. Work Christmas parties. Drinks with friends. Client drinks. Christmas shopping. Travel. And if you’re a parent, you can add in a nativity play, a carol service, the Christmas market, parents’ evening, the gift-giving ceremony for the teachers, an invitation to look over your child’s work at the end of term etc etc. If I wasn’t a parent, I don’t think I’d believe the number of things we’re asked to attend, which means this time of year always seems to require a bit more multi-tasking than normal.

I realise all these activities aren’t compulsory. I realise I chose to have children and so I have to deal with everything that comes with that – from the sleepless nights to the terrible twos, the illnesses, the friendship issues, the post-COVID anxiety, school reports and a general worry about whether you’re actually doing the right thing. I also realise that I’m lucky to have a husband so I can share the parenting load. And while there are some events I don’t mind not attending, there are also some things I do not want to miss. Eldest son’s iconic performance as a chocolate log in his nursery nativity is top of that list.

I understand flexible working isn’t just for parents.  And while some of these parenting ‘to dos’ can be done outside of 9-5, there are a lot of activities that can only be done during work hours.

Take parent evenings – the working parents will normally try to book the later slots while the non-working parents tend to take the earlier times. If possible, we try to schedule doctor or dentist appointments early or late in the day. But if the school puts on the nativity play at 2pm, they are, very much, not for moving.

For me, the past few weeks have been particularly tough because I have a neuro-diverse child. He does not cope well with changes to his routine and this time of year, there are a lot of changes. So I’ve had to pick him up early from school three times in as many weeks. The first week, I got a call at 1pm. The next week, 10am. And the week after, 2pm.

I’m lucky that I work for myself and although I have client commitments, I know I can be flexible about my workload. It also means that I’m focused and regimented about getting work done when I can because I never know when I’ll get that dreaded call from the school.

I appreciate I’m lucky to be able to do this. I’m also aware that PR is a service industry – clients pay for our time and our expertise – which means there is a concern that we need to be ‘always on’. But things have changed. Employees want flexibility. This will mean different things to different people - it’s not just about working from home two days a week. Or working 5 days in 4. Or working core hours. It’s a way of working that benefits both employer and employee and what works for one person, agency or client might not work for the next person, agency or client.

So if you’re a parent looking to get back to work or you’re an employer who’s recruiting, I believe the best present under the tree this year would be for both parties to be honest, upfront and open from the beginning about their needs and requirements. Everyone’s experience will be different, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be compromise. It’s time for the PR industry to be flexible about flexible working.