Ultimately, successful flexible working is about creating a culture of trust and responsibility, one in which flexible working is 'simply the way things are done around here.'

Here we describe some of the issues Swiftwork explores with employers when building a flexible working strategy.

Work-life balance is all about good management practice and sound business sense.

The procedures offered are designed to accommodate and benefit the four interested parties that affect efficiency and success of an organisation.

• the employer
• individual employees
• their colleagues and teams
• customers and other stakeholders Sustainable Policies

A sustainable work-life balance initiative needs to be sensitively introduced. Key ground rules have to be established about the rights and responsibilities of all the parties. This must be accepted and transparent in order to engender a culture of trust on which creating the right and most sustainable work-life balance strategy rests.

These include:

• any person affected by flexible working arrangements will be consulted

• there is a responsibility to consider the interests of other team members and customers
• employers have a responsibility to all customers, the right to seek ways of improving effectiveness, and the responsibility to treat all employees equitably
• employees have the right to ask for changes in working patterns and employers have the responsibility of considering the request carefully
• employees do not have an automatic right to change the way they work; nor do employers have an absolute right to impose change.

Success in introducing flexible and reduced hours working depends on consultation, open communication and the involvement of all team members. Throughout the change process, these rights and responsibilities must be observed.