How we meet these challenges
Swiftwork has a team-based approach which is very important. It ensures that employees and managers co-operate to achieve common business objectives. The alternative - individual requests for flexible working - is less business focused and can lead to tensions within teams.

We help managers think differently about how they manage a flexible workforce and how to achieve enhanced performance from their teams, a more motivated workforce and also a better work-life balance for themselves.

Through our experience of working with all types of organisations we have developed five key guidelines that we have found helpful in establishing success flexible working:

1. Changes in employment options are voluntary. The purpose is to help all individuals, irrespective of their role, to achieve an appropriate work-life balance.
2. Nothing can be guaranteed, changes that do not address maintaining or improving service provision may not be agreed.
3. Within those guidelines staff, teams and managers have a shared responsibility for improving performance and identifying work-life balance solutions.
4. Decisions on flexible working will be reason neutral. The employee does not have to provide a reason for requesting a flexible working option.
5. Every initiative will be subject to a period of trial during which time any affected party can demonstrate benefits or detrimental effect.