National Materials and Existing Policies

It’s always worth checking if your organisation has flexible and / or hybrid working policies already in place, as they will assist you in guiding flexible working conversations with your team. Below are some examples of publicly available policies and guidelines from Leeds-based health and care organisations:

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust

The links below contain a useful overview of the materials available nationally. The information and resources included do not replace organisational policies and guidelines, but aim to provide line managers with an overview of background material which may assist them on the journey to implementing flexible working in their services. We recognise that some of the documents are organisational or sector-specific, so some health and care partners will find some references more relevant than others. The information seeks to summarise and reference:

  • Definitions of flexible working (formal and informal)
  • Benefits to implementing flexible working
  • The UK’s legal position
  • Toolkits to assist line managers with implementing flexible working
  • A flexible working forum that Leeds health and care partners can join

Flexible working: Overview | GOV.UK
Government information on what flexible working is, the different types of flexible working, and applying for flexible working.

Flexible Working Practices | Factsheets | CIPD
Chartered Institue of Personnel and Development. Webpage with links to information on what flexible working is, and the UK’s legal position on flexible working.

Flexible working uptake | CIPD Viewpoint | CIPD 
CIPD’s point of view on flexible working, including recommendations for employers

Flexible working 2023 research|CIPD
CIPD research on flexible and hybrid working.

Flexible working | NCVO
Membership community for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups in England with advice and reports on flexible working.

Asking for flexible working: Making a flexible working request | Acas
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service advice for home and hybrid working.

Flexible working and work-life balance | Local Government Association
Local Government definition of flexible working, including links to a line manager guide.

New flexible working guides for line managers and staff | NHS Employers
An NHS employers document that references guides to staff that line managers can distribute.

Flexible working toolkit for managers | NHS England
An NHS published document featuring examples and general guidance.Our Flexible Working toolkit is closely alligned to this document. This link also includes a ‘Flexible Team Talk’ template that can be adapted to the needs of your team.

Flexible working – Raising the standards for the NHS
An NHS published document that includes formal and informal definitions of flexible working which can apply to the wider health and care sector.

Flexible working common myths | NHS Employers
Detail around common myths of flexible working.

Flexible working – enablers for change | NHS Employers
Detail around enablers for change of flexible working.

Guidance on contractual issues arising from certain forms of flexible working | NHS Employers
Guidance on contractual issues arising from certain forms of flexible working.

FutureNHS Collaboration Platform
Ongoing support/shared learning. Health and care organisations within the NHS and beyond can apply to access this platform which contains documents and conversations from colleagues across the UK on their journey to creating more flexibility in their services.

#TeamLeeds