Got a query? Our Golf Management Helpdesk will have the answer or direct you to someone who does. This week, Carolyne Wahlen of Golf HR looks at flexible working requests.
Flexible working requests are pretty common these days, with more employees looking for a better work-life balance.
Legally, anyone with at least 26 weeks’ service can put in a request, and as an employer, you have to consider it fairly.
One request that often comes up is this one: requesting to work four longer days instead of five shorter ones. But how do you decide if it’s workable?
Things to think about
Before saying yes or no, it’s worth considering:
- Does it work for the club? – Will key tasks still get done? If this person is in a management role, will they be around when needed?
- What about the rest of the team? – Will others have to pick up extra work or struggle without support on the non-working day?
- Can they actually do longer shifts? – Some roles work well with longer days, but for others, it could lead to burnout or performance dips.
- Could you trial it? – If you’re unsure, a trial period of three months can help see if it works before making a final decision.
Golf Management Helpdesk
Imagine a team of experts on hand to respond to your SOS – swiftly returning with the much-needed answers to your golf club management questions.
That’s exactly what’s on offer through the Golf Management Helpdesk. This online facility, staffed by knowledgeable industry figures, provides an advisory service for any queries a GCMA member might have.
So whether you’re wondering about proxy voting at annual general meetings, have had a poser about social membership, or are looking to put together a policy on fog, you’ll get a response from one of the team. We aim to have a reply to all submissions within three working days.
Please note that the Golf Management Helpdesk is only available to full GCMA members.
The Legal Grounds for Saying No
If you do need to turn down a request, it has to be for one of these eight official reasons:
- It’ll cost too much – If the change would lead to higher costs you can’t justify.
- It won’t meet customer needs – If it means service or response times would suffer.
- You can’t share the work out – If there’s no practical way to cover their time off.
- Hiring extra staff isn’t an option – If you’d need to recruit but can’t.
- It would hit quality – If standards would drop.
- Performance would be affected – If it’s likely to impact productivity.
- There’s not enough work at those times – If the role doesn’t need those particular hours.
- You’ve got big changes coming – If restructuring or other changes make it unworkable.
What’s Changing Under the Employment Rights Bill?
New rules are coming in to make flexible working even more accessible. These include:
- Employees can request flexible working from day one of employment – no more waiting 26 weeks.
- They’ll be able to make two requests per year instead of one.
- You will have to consult with employees before rejecting a request.
- The decision timeframe is shrinking from three months to two months.
Best Approach? Keep the Conversation Open
The best thing you can do is have an open chat with your employee about what works and what doesn’t. If you have to say no, being clear about why (and maybe offering an alternative) will help keep things positive. And if you’re on the fence, a trial run could be the best way to test it out without committing straight away.
At the end of the day, flexible working can be a great way to boost morale and retain good staff – as long as it works for everyone.
