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Operational barriers to flexible working

Anna

Social Enterprise Timewise has just set up an Innovation Unit with the intention of breaking down 'specific operational barriers' to flexible working that exist in some sectors.

I'm curious: do you work in a sector that has specific operational barriers which get in the way of offering flexible working?  If so which sector are you in? And what are those barriers?

Please share your experience.

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  • Hi Anna
    I've been reflecting on your question over the weekend. I work for a group of museums. Obviously we need to have enough staff in at certain times to open the museums and ensure visitors' health and safety as well as giving them an entertaining and educational experience. To that end, we have set shifts that we need people to work. However we offer a range of shifts across different days of the week - and people are free to take on extra shifts or ask to drop shifts (as long as we can cover them with someone else or recruit to backfill). This does lead to quite a reliance on casual staff to fill the gaps though. So in some ways we try to be as flexible as possible but what we can't offer for visitor facing staff is a flexitime arrangement where they choose their start and finish times. Is that the sort of scenario you were thinking of?
    Kind regards
    Jackie
  • in reply to Jacqueline
    Thanks for sharing your experience Jackie.

    TBH I didn't have anything particular in mind. My own experience as a specialist in this area is that there is often more scope for flexibility than we first imagine. I was simply intrigued that Timewise believe there are sectors with specific operational barriers and wanted to explore this further.

    Anyone else willing to share their thoughts?
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  • in reply to Jacqueline
    Thanks for sharing your experience Jackie.

    TBH I didn't have anything particular in mind. My own experience as a specialist in this area is that there is often more scope for flexibility than we first imagine. I was simply intrigued that Timewise believe there are sectors with specific operational barriers and wanted to explore this further.

    Anyone else willing to share their thoughts?
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