Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Flexible workingRecruitment & retention

Flexible working and the Olympics – employers’ questions answered

by Personnel Today 30 May 2012
by Personnel Today 30 May 2012

Employers operating in London, and other areas where Olympic events are taking place, must consider the imminent road congestion and disruption to the public transport system that will result from this summer’s Games.

Many employers will have to deal with employees having trouble getting to work on time. Rather than accepting as inevitable the disruption to the business, lost working hours and stress caused to employees, employers should consider putting in place temporary flexible working arrangements.

We answer the following questions about implementing flexible working during the Olympics period.

Q Can I require employees to work from home?

Rather than having employees arriving late at work after a stressful journey, some employers will consider asking them to work from home. As long as the particular type of work is suitable for homeworking, this can mean that employees can spend their time wisely, rather than stuck in overcrowded trains, queuing to get into stations or waiting in traffic jams.  

Can employees be required to work from home if the transport system is disrupted because of the Olympic Games?

Q Can I require employees to work from a different site?

As well as wasted time and stress caused by lengthy journeys to and from work, disruption to the transport system will make it difficult for some employers to go about their daily business, even if employees can get to work on time. The location of some businesses will lead to difficulties with deliveries, clients not being able to get to the premises, or employees missing external meetings or site visits.

If an employer has multiple sites, it might want to ask employees to work from a different site during the Games period, where the disruption will be less of an issue.

Can employers require employees to work different hours or from a different location during the Olympics?

Q Can I require employees to change their hours?

The Transport for London website, Get ahead of the Games, provides advice on the expected busiest travelling times in all areas likely to be affected by the Games. Depending on the nature of the business, some employers will consider changing their employees’ hours to avoid the busiest periods.

Can employers require employees to work different hours or from a different location during the Olympics?

Q Do I have to worry about health and safety if employees are working from home temporarily?

Employers have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. This includes employees who are working in their own home and are doing so only on a temporary basis.

Is an employer under an obligation to conduct a risk assessment where an employee will temporarily be working from home during the Olympics?

Q What if employees decide that they want to work from home permanently? Do I have to agree?

Employees who work from home during the Olympics might argue that they should be allowed to continue to do so on a permanent basis. They may consider that they have a good case, if they have shown that it’s possible for them to work effectively from home. If the employee qualifies for the right to request flexible working, the employer must consider any such request in accordance with the statutory procedure. Employers should take the needs of the business into account when making any decision on whether or not to allow employees to work from home.

Where an employer allows employees to work at home during the Olympics will this mean the employer will be obliged to let them work from home permanently should they wish?

Which employees are eligible for the statutory right to request flexible working?

How should an employer respond to a request for flexible working?

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Professions must be open to all backgrounds, says government adviser
next post
Employers to play crucial role in success of fit note, says EEF

You may also like

City firms pledge to improve social mobility in...

20 May 2022

Working from home statistics show three-fold increase

20 May 2022

One in five employers planning ‘no jab no...

19 May 2022

Nurses leaving due to pressure and workplace culture

18 May 2022

Number of working people with disability up 1.3...

17 May 2022

Wages fall 1.2% behind inflation as cost of...

17 May 2022

Lack of flexibility pushes half of women to...

16 May 2022

EasyJet joins battle for cabin crew with £1,000...

16 May 2022

Rees-Mogg under fire from civil service leader over...

13 May 2022

Tesco to pioneer office space in local stores

13 May 2022
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+