Flexible working: an overview for Professional Services & Research staff

The pandemic dramatically changed our ways of working and home working is becoming more common. It is important to note that home working is only permitted within the UK. The University will not support the relocation of staff members overseas for personal reasons.

Flexible working describes a range of ways of working. At the University we consider the ways of working outlined below as regular arrangements that can be considered by managers of Professional Services staff or staff in the Research job family who want to introduce more flexibility into their teams or by Professional Services or Research staff who wish to work more flexibly.

Ways of flexible working

• Flexitime
• Homeworking
• Job sharing
• Compressed hours

There is separate guidance on flexible working options for Academic staff in the Education and Scholarship and Education and Research job families.

Our standard terms and conditions of employment are subject to English law and as such, all our employees are expected to work in the UK. This means that working overseas (i.e. outside the UK) is not permitted unless expressly agreed otherwise in the employment contract and planned accordingly. For more information see Global Mobility web pages.

Please read the requesting flexible working guidance if you are interested in requesting flexible working.

The University will take account of its business needs, as well as an individual’s request, in considering any application for flexible working.

If you would like to consider other ways of working not listed here, please discuss with your Principal Investigator (PI) or line manager initially and seek further guidance from your HR Partner/Advisor if needed.

You can also download the Flexible working an overview for PS and R staff.

Managers should read the managing flexible working guidance.