What happens next?
Read the information on this page to understand what happens after you have made a flexible working request.
A meeting will be arranged with you to discuss your request, it should be arranged within 14 days of your request.
The meeting will usually be led by your Faculty or Service nominee.
Your Line Manager may also be invited or they may have been consulted in advance.
You can be accompanied to your meeting by a work colleague or a union representative.
At the meeting your proposal will be discussed and a decision will usually be made at or soon after the meeting but further time may be needed.
You should have a decision within 14 days of your meeting.
You may need to agree a compromise that suits you and the University's business interests.
Your proposal may be refused.
The agreed outcome of the meeting will be put in a letter. You should be sent this letter within 2 months of your initial request.
Any new arrangements will be confirmed including the start date, any changes in pay or other terms and conditions and define the trial period and review date.
A review period will usually be agreed to check the arrangement is working both from yours and the University's perspective.
If after an initial review, the working arrangements are allowed to continue, you should remember that in the future, the business needs of the University could develop and your role or working arrangements may be reviewed again. Any changes will be introduced with reasonable notification.
Regular reviews may be set up to monitor the effectiveness of the arrangement.
We want to support employees with work-life balance wherever possible. We also need to make sure that our decisions take into account fully the operational needs of the University including those needs of your colleagues, students and other customers.
Your request can only be refused for one or more of the following reasons:
- the burden of additional costs;
- detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand;
- inability to re-organise work among existing staff;
- inability to recruit additional staff;
- detrimental impact on quality;
- detrimental impact on performance;
- insufficiency of work during the periods you propose to work;
- planned structural changes.
If your request is refused, the outcome letter you receive will make it clear about why it has been refused and provide details of how to appeal.
An initial review period will be agreed when your working arrangements are confirmed. The review is important to check that the arrangements work for you as well as the University.
If after an initial review, the working arrangements are allowed to continue, you should remember that in the future, the business needs of the University could develop and your role or working arrangements may be reviewed again. Any changes will be introduced with reasonable notification.
If you change roles at the University, you should remember that your working arrangements will not automatically transfer to the new role and you should discuss your needs during the recruitment process.
Read about how to make a flexible working request.
You can also see examples of flexible working requests and the sorts of considerations managers make.
Read the University's flexible working policy.
Read guidance in the relevant section below:
- Flexible working - Research and Professional Services staff
- Flexible working - Education & Scholarship and Education & Research staff
Please speak to your HR Partner/Advisor for anything further or to discuss your individual or team circumstances.