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Increasing flexibility in the modern workplace
There has been much debate in the media recently about the extent to which employment legislation helps or hinders economic and business growth, with the Government committed to reducing bureaucracy and removing “red tape”, particularly for smaller employers. Earlier this year, it embarked upon a programme of regulatory review and a number of proposals have already been published in support of this objective, for example, in relation to the resolution of employment disputes.
Alongside this, the Coalition’s Programme for Government set out an intention to make society more “family friendly”, encourage shared parenting from the earliest stages of pregnancy, and promote a system of flexible parental leave. It also included an intention to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees, promote equal pay and take a range of measures to end discrimination in the workplace.
The Government has now published a consultation document, Modern Workplaces, setting out its proposals for a new system of shared parental leave and extending the right to request flexible working to nearly all employees. The document also contains proposals with regard to equal pay audits, as well as amendments to the Working Time Regulations relating to the taking and operation of annual leave.
It is intended that these changes will provide greater flexibility in employment practice, providing benefits for both employers and employees, increasing participation in the labour market and helping people balance work commitments with family and other personal responsibilities and interests. Will the proposals achieve the desired objectives and what are the likely implications for employers and HR professionals? Deborah Moon, HR Consultant, summarises the key aspects of the proposed changes and looks at the potential implications for public sector employment practice.
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