Flexible working

The University offers the possibility of working flexibly to all its staff. The HR website gives further information on flexible working as well as the Employee Health and Wellbeing policy with information on the different options for flexible work, as well as leave and absence and how this might be managed.

The purpose of this School page is to give real examples of these different practices and make suggestions for line managers of flexible workers.

Many people worry that flexible working is not accepted by others, such as team members or line managers. However, if the work arrangements are discussed and agreed openly with all concerned, setting out objectives, working arrangements at home and availability, there is no reason that this cannot work satisfactorily.

Working flexibly offers all staff the possibility of improving their working environment, balancing the demands of work and home life, and helps us to retain talented people.

Many organisations have reported on the positive benefits of having a flexible workforce in terms of job satisfaction, loyalty and motivation.

FAQ on flexible working

"I completed my clinical psychology training in 2009, and began a full-time PhD in 2015, while maintaining some clinical responsibilities.

"I have three young children, and a wife who is also an academic. I am able to work very flexibly, often working from home two days each week and, on my days in the office, working from about 06:00 until before 17:00.

"This flexibility allows me to do more active, helpful and meaningful childcare during the working week. Without this flexibility, the cost of doing a PhD would be too great for my family and me.

"I am strongly supported by my supervisor to work flexibly, and have a sense that flexible working patterns are well accommodated in the AnDY clinical research lab."

"When I applied for a position in the School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences, they were able to offer me hours which enabled me to fit work around my three young children and were flexible enough to change the days that I had childcare available to me.

"It was so important for me to still be part of their everyday activities and once they started at school, I was able to commit to more hours.

"The School have continued to support me with flexible working, so that I am able to drop off and pick up on school runs, as well as attending functions at the children's schools and working from home when someone becomes poorly.

"Over the years that I've been here, as the children have become more independent, I've been able to increase my hours, and I am now working full time.

"This is largely due to the support and understanding from the School. I feel extremely lucky to have such a rewarding job where I'm allowed the flexibility to retain a healthy work-life balance."

"I am working towards my PhD on a part-time basis because I have two young children who I collect from school each day.

"I have found everyone who has been involved in this process, from my initial application through to my day-to-day working life, to be extremely accommodating of my need for flexible working arrangements.

"My supervisors are particularly mindful of the commitments I have outside my studies and are proactive in helping me find creative ways of meeting my deadlines.

"They are happy to schedule meetings at times that are convenient to me and offer suggestions on how I can adapt my working practices to accommodate school holidays and other necessary absences."

"I reduced my hours to 60% fte when I returned to work after maternity leave with my first son (Joe, now 12). I gradually increased to 80% fte after my second son (Ben, now eight) was born as my partner (Colin, now 45!) was able to be a bit more flexible with his hours.

"When Ben started school I returned to work full time, however have worked in a flexible way since then. I try as hard as I can to work at home two days a week and to collect my children from school on those days. To accommodate this I do some long days and catch up with work in the evenings, though I keep weekends sacred (mostly successfully).

"At times it can feel like life is all work and childcare, so I try hard to make sure there is a bit of time for friends and fun (not that work and children aren't fun!).

"I do recognise the fact that there are many jobs where I would have to make a choice between working full-time and seeing much of my children during the week, and really appreciate the opportunity I have had."

"I am working full time as MRI Operations Officer in the School of Psychology and at the Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics.

"Having two school children and a full-time job can be challenging, needless to say. My husband takes care of most of the school runs, but due to the flexibility of my colleagues I can put in my fair share.

"I spend a lot of my working hours operating the MRI scanner, so my time needs to be scheduled very precisely. I need reliable and competent colleagues to stand in for me at short notice from time to time. I have an arrangement for leaving at 15:00 once a week, and it is working out very well.

"I do come in early and stay late when necessary. It is the planning that makes my life easier and my colleagues completely understand that."

"I began my PhD studies in 2015 with my then one and three-year-old sons in nursery in London.

"When I was offered the full-time role, my youngest was only five months old, so the prospect of a long commute away from the little one was daunting.

"Ahead of my start, I agreed with my supervisor that I would routinely spend three days a week in Reading and two days at home. I also work an early day; I'm usually in by 07:30 and leave by 15:30, which allows me to do nursery pick-ups and bedtime while my husband does the morning drop-offs.

"My supervisor has been exceptionally supportive of these arrangements and I feel that they work well for both my work and personal life."