What does 'flexible working' mean?

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The Employment Rights Act introduces major reforms to UK employment law, with changes being implemented in stages from December 2025 through to 2027.

Employment Rights Act

Published date

16 Dec 2025

Flexible working is any type of work arrangement that gives employees flexibility over where and when they work. It includes flexi-time, remote and home working, part-time working, predictable hours and compressed hours.

Genuine flexible working can be a win-win arrangement for both workers and employers. It can allow people to balance their work and home lives, is important in promoting equality at work and can lead to improved recruitment and retention of workers.

There is a real appetite among workers for a range of flexible working options. Our research shows more than four out of five (82 per cent) workers in Britain want to work flexibly in the future, rising to 87 per cent amongst women workers. The most popular forms of flexible working desired in the future are remote working, flexi-time, and part-time work but workers would also like job sharing, annualised hours, term time only working, compressed hours and predictable hours to be made available to them.  

Read more about flexible working in our 2021 report online - The Future of Flexible Work 

Note: This content is provided as general background information and should not be taken as legal advice or financial advice for your particular situation. Make sure to get individual advice on your case from your union, a source on our free help page or an independent financial advisor before taking any action.

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