Most of us would like to find more time to relax, see our friends and family or pursue our interests. Lorena Tonarelli finds out how British Airways give their staff freedom to work flexibly so that both the interests of office and home can be accommodated.
A study conducted by the National Centre for Social Research shows flexible working is the most effective way to help employees strike a balance between work and personal life. The study also reveals this practice is on the rise. And the reason is easy to see: flexible working does not only benefit employees, who experience less stress and better quality of life, but also their companies, because it improves staff retention and reduces turnover.
At British Airways, they know this well. “British Airways has had flexible working practices in place for many years, because there is recognition that it can help both individuals and the business,” says Alison Dalton, of BA’s diversity and inclusion team. “Employees can take unpaid leave or temporarily work part-time… it is a matter of choice and individuals then have the opportunity to try other activities or pursue personal challenges.”
Anyone can apply for any type of flexible working so long as it fits in with the business. “Shift and remote workers, such as cabin and flight crew are more likely to focus on part-time options, while office-based staff will work more flexible hours, or from home, when appropriate. Other possibilities include career breaks, flexitime, term-time working and unpaid leave.”
It’s obvious that flexible working is well received among BA employees. 24% of the company’s workforce, and 42% of the company’s women, work part time, while more than 40% of cabin crew members benefit from some sort of flexible working.
Alison says: “People work flexibly for all sorts of reasons: family commitments, being able to combine career and family, travelling, taking time out, working short hours to be home when the children get back from school, or working a four-day week to have a day to go to gym or pursue charity commitments. It is up to the individual to decide how they want to work and it may be that time is more important than earning more money.”
The benefits for the business? “Over 7,000 BA employees recently took up the opportunity of signing up for unpaid leave – the minimum was one week – and the savings were in the region of £10 million,” says Alison. “As a result, there has been greater acceptance of flexible working in the business, with more employees considering job share and part-time jobs. This opens up opportunities to a wider, more diverse group of people, which, in turn, creates greater creativity and productivity.”
So, if you feel you need to change your working hours, in order to continue to perform well on the job, and still have time for yourself and your family, ask your boss what flexible working opportunities are available. It’s not just for you. A greater work-life balance will benefit all.
Related articles:
The future's flexible
Flexible jobs:
Find part-time jobs
