Flexible working practices are fundamental to the future of work within charities, helping us deliver more for the people and communities we support, says a new report from ACEVO, NCVO and Starfish Search.
Time to Flex draws on conversations with colleagues across the voluntary sector and explores the various benefits and barriers to embracing flexible working. The report includes practical tips to support leaders, managers and individuals to approach flexible working in their organisations and aims to start a conversation and grow a shared understanding of what good looks like.
The report offers six recommendations to make flexible working the norm:
- Backed by ACEVO and NCVO, the voluntary sector will champion a default position of ‘yes to flex’ – where employers proactively consider how flexibility is possible in the job design for all roles, for everyone.
- Flexibility to be advertised for all roles – so employers openly lead the conversation about how flexibility can work, and the focus isn’t on the candidate to request it.
- Organisations and individuals to openly share their stories of how flexibility is working – so that best practice, learning and inspiration are easily available in the sector, confidence is built, and stigma is reduced.
- Organisations to embrace a position of trust – where individuals are more empowered to manage their time based on outcomes and impact, rather than when and where they work.
- Organisations to have the courage to experiment, make mistakes, adjust, learn and improve, and be honest about what is and isn’t working while keeping a focus on individual needs.
- Flexibility to become a central pillar of equity, diversity and inclusion, and wellbeing strategies.