Managers will be required to have a meeting with employees who request flexible working, according to Louise Haigh, first secretary of state. Speaking at the TUC conference this week, Haigh revealed that changes to flexible working legislation, due to take force in 2027, will require employers to "sit down with their employee, properly consider it and explain why".
Despite a rise in return-to-office mandates, the majority of UK hybrid workers still only go into the office three (41%) or four (27%) days a week, a poll has argued.
Almost nine in 10 organisations trialling a four-day week with no loss of pay are likely to continue with a shorter working week beyond the six-month pilot.